Come Tuesday To Our Community Garden Event

That's Farming, by Jeffie Hardin – May 21, 2012

(Note by editor Rich Haag)

Jeffie is hard at work at Rivendell Farms and in no mood to wrestle with a difficult computer except maybe to throw it into the mulch pile (That's computers!), so she has asked me to write this invitation for her.

Chris and Jeffie

Jeffie and Chris very much want you to know about a program Tuesday evening that they and River District leaders are putting on at Whitewater Middle School.

The meeting, from 6:30 to 8:30, is a chance for you to see the new learning gardens for students at Whitewater Middle and Whitewater Academy next door. You'll also hear about gardens at other nearby schools and a new community gardening program called Whitewater Farms that could expand our access to fresh, local foods. Everyone is welcome, of course.

The Hardins and the River District also need volunteers to help with the gardens, particularly this summer after school ends.You can learn more on Tuesday.

These gardens are part of an ambitious River District effort to boost our students’ learning and interest in science, technology, engineering and math – often called STEM. Similar gardens are under way at Mountain Island, Ida Rankin and Catawba Heights elementary; and River Oaks Academy.

• LEARN MORE: Visit catawbariverdistrict.org.

• DIRECTIONS: Whitewater Middle is at 1520 Belmeade Drive, Charlotte. MAP

• VOLUNTEER: We need help maintaining the schoolyard gardens this summer. Interested? EMAIL River District Executive Director Edna Chirico or call 704-562-8847.

About Jeffie and Chris Hardin – The Hardins left suburban life in 2001 for Rivendell Farms, an 8-acre farm near Mountain Island Lake. Now the Hardins and their children seek to grow half of their family’s food and help others grow food, too.