A New Theme Begins For Rich's Blogs

River District News And Updates, by Rich Haag – May 8

Today’s blog is a transition. I am passing my current theme – about the natural wonders of the River District – on to fellow-blogger Alice Battle. Her blog, Clean and Clear Catawba, focuses on the river itself, but over our first three months of blogging we found that our interests and topics often overlap. So beginning this week. Alice will cover both our great river and our varied wildlife and wilderness.

My new topic: River District News And Updates

I am shifting my focus to an area that, surprisingly, we left out when we launched the blogs: the River District organization itself. That changes today with my new blog, titled River District Updates. Each week I will write about the people, programs and challenges facing our emerging nonprofit environmental group. I especially want to share ways that you can join us in this important effort to protect our river, our wildlife and the communities nearby.

Whitewater Middle School students prepare soil for their raised-bed garden boxes

Come May 22 and help launch Whitewater Farms

So, here’s my very first blog invitation: The Catawba River District invites you to Whitewater Middle School from 6:30 to 8 p.m. May 22 to see some of our new learning gardens for students and to explain our plans for a community gardening program called Whitewater Farms. We also seek volunteers to help us with the gardens, particularly this summer after school ends.

Some background

River District volunteers and Jeffie and Chris Hardin of Rivendell Farms are working with teachers and students at Whitewater Middle and Whitewater Academy to create and plant raised gardens. Similar projects are under way at Mountain Island Elementary, River Oaks Academy,  Ida Rankin Elementary and Catawba Heights Elementary.

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. Educators nationwide find that school gardens help kids learn by doing and, as an important side benefit, introduce them to healthy foods.

We all benefit from locally grown fruits and vegetables, so the River District and its partners, including ReVenture Park, are working to greatly increase our access to fresh produce. Whitewater Farms will play a big role in that effort. You can learn much more at the meeting on May 22 and by visiting catawbariverdistrict.org.

MAY 22 SPECIFICS:  The Farm to School meeting will take place 6:30-8 p.m. Tuesday, May 22, at Whitewater Middle School, 1520 Belmeade Drive in Mecklenburg County (CLICK for directions). Everyone is welcome, regardless of whether you have children in the school.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! We are looking for adults interested in helping develop Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) at Whitewater Farms. We also need volunteers to nurture the schoolyard gardens this summer while school is out of session. To learn more, come to the May 22 event or contact Edna Chirico, executive director of the Catawba River District, at echirico@catawbariverdistrict.org or 704-562-8847.

About Rich Haag – Rich gained his love for the outdoors while roaming the woods and river gorge near his upstate NY home. He has spent many vacations – one lasting eight weeks -  camping with his wife, Karen, and their sons. Rich still roams the woods nearly every day, either walking with Karen at Reedy Creek Nature Preserve or cycling on the Mallard Creek Greenway.