Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven: Common Ground

Showing posts with label Common Ground. Show all posts

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Looking for That Perfect Last Minute Gift?

Check Everyone Off Your List This

Holiday Season!

Our Winter Garden Workshops* are the perfect gift for the gardener (or wannabe gardener) in your life!

Advanced Master Gardener, Rachel Ziesk, will teach classes that will help attendees prepare their garden for the upcoming spring season.

Each individual workshop costs just $20. OR pick up the entire series for $100!

Soil & Season Extenders -- Saturday, January 28^th, 2017

The most important component for a successful garden is soil health. Learn how to make and keep your soil healthy, as well as how to use row covers and other techniques to extend your growing season.

Cool Weather Crops -- Saturday, February 11^th, 2017

Learn about starting your garden as soon as the snow is gone! Cool weather crops don’t mind the cold and give you a head start on the season. This class covers how to plant cold weather crops and manage the pests and diseases that plague them.

Warm Weather Crops -- Saturday, February 25^th, 2017

Everything you need to know about warm weather crops! Learn about how to make the best out of your growing season including which crops are best started indoors, what can be directly seeded into the ground and what conditions each crop prefers. This class also covers which fertilizers are best as well as common pests and diseases affecting warm weather crops.

Seed Starting & Garden Planning -- Saturday, March 4^th, 2017

Start your own seedlings! This class explores how and when to start planting indoors. Learn about using lights, watering and identifying common problems with seed starting. The class also covers planning your garden so you get the most out of your gardening space. Everyone attending will get to plant a six pack of seedlings to take home with them.

Essential Flowers & Herbs for Vegetable Gardening -- Saturday, March 11^th, 2017

Flowers and Herbs attract pollinators and beneficial insects to help keep your garden productive and healthy. Learn about the best flowers and herbs for your garden. This class will also identify some edible weeds and tell you what you need to know in order to protect your garden from invasive ones.

Preserving your Garden Harvest -- Saturday, March 25^th, 2017

Learn how you can eat from your garden all winter long. Simple methods can save your harvest for winter use. The class will cover techniques that you’ll need to know for freezing, canning, dehydrating, pickling and more.

For more information on each class, or to register for the series, visit: www.nhswintergarden2017.eventbrite.com

*This Program is a cooperative effort of NHS of New Haven, Common Ground, UConn Extension, the Connecticut Department of Agriculture, and the Risk Management Agency/USDA. These institutions are equal opportunity employers and providers.

Sunday, May 8, 2016

Common Ground Seeding Sale & Farm Festival!

Thursday, March 17, 2016

Common Ground Community Calendar

Hello NHS Family & Friends!

We wanted to share with you this calendar of community events from one of our favorite partners, Common Ground CT! Click the photo to find out more information on Common Ground's website.

Thursday, March 3, 2016

Common Ground High Schoolers get an Early Spring Start in the Ivy Street Garden

On Wednesday, March 2nd, first-year students from the Common Ground School joined NHS at the Ivy Street Garden in New Haven to help rake leaves, plant bulbs, and bring some life back to the garden!

We thank the students for all their help. View more photos of their hard work on our facebook page.

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

Upcoming Garden Workshop! Soil & Garden Planning!

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

10 Days Away From Our Garden Workshops!

Register Today for our Grow It! Garden Workshop series! The first workshop takes place on January 23rd, 2016.

Visit: www.NHSWinterGarden.EventBrite.com to register.

Friday, December 18, 2015

Last Minute Holiday Shopping? We Have Your Perfect Answer!

Struggling to find that perfect gift?

Want to give something unique, that will leave a lasting impression?

Look no further!

NHS of New Haven, in partnership with Common Ground, is now taking registrations for their Winter Garden series. A perfect gift for anyone in your life who loves to garden, or is thinking about starting a garden in the spring.

Individual classes are just $20 or $100 for the entire 6-session series.

Don't hesitate! Space is limited! Visit: NHSWinterGarden.EventBrite.com

Classes (10am-12pm):

Soil & Garden Planning -- Saturday, January 23, 2016
The most important component for a successful garden is soil health. Learn how to make and keep your soil healthy, as well as how to plan your garden for the most productive season.

Cool Weather Crops -- Saturday, January 30, 2016
Learn about starting your garden as soon as the snow is gone! Cool weather crops don't mind the cold and give you a head start on the season. Most can be planted directly in the ground saving any space you use for seedlings for other crops.

Warm Weather Crops -- Saturday, February 13, 2016
Everything you'll need to know about warm weather crops; which ones are best started indoors, or direct seeded into the ground. What fertilizers to use, what conditions each crop prefers, all the information for a productive growing season.

Container Gardening and Seed -- Saturday, February 27, 2016
Some people have no access to garden space; that doesn't mean you can't grow your own vegetables. Container gardening can be rewarding and supply you with more food than you thought! Learn the in's and out's of using containers for your growing needs. The class will also go through everything you need to know to start your own seedlings. Everyone attending will get to plant a six pack of seedlings to take home with them.

Edible Landscaping & Edible/Invasive Weeds -- Saturday, March 12, 2016
Attractive plants or food? Why not have both! Lots of edible plants are beautiful additions to even an ornamental garden. Learn which plants will perform well in either a vegetable or ornamental garden, which ones not only produce food but create attractive areas in your garden. Also learn about weeds that are edible and nutritious, and invasive plants and how to get rid of them.

Pests, Disease & Organic Controls -- Saturday, March 26, 2016
There are lots of pests and diseases that can affect your garden. Learn about the prevalent ones and what organic controls you can use to combat them for a healthy, productive garden.

NHSWinterGarden.EventBrite.com

Friday, December 11, 2015

Recap: Community Gardens and Outdoor Education, Fall 2015

Work in our community gardens this autumn was more fun than usual due to the enthusiastic participation of several groups of young volunteers. Youth from the ages of 4-17 have helped clear beds, rake leaves, and plant trees and bulbs in the Ivy Street, Stevens Street, and Davenport Street gardens this October and November. By working with local youth programs, we at NHS hope to instill in neighborhood kids a sense of ownership over their public spaces, and provide young people with safe spaces to explore and learn about their environment.

Many hands make light work, no matter how small the hands are – and gardening offers no end to educational opportunities. The youngest kids, through the Citycology program at Solar Youth, had a blast learning about compost and worms at the Ivy Street garden. Older students from Solar Youth learned about bulb planting. Youth from Squash Haven who planted trees in the Stevens Street garden not only learned about hoop houses and tree planting, but also developed quite a knack for riding in wheelbarrows. Common Ground High School students, on their community service day, raked and composted in the Ivy Street garden, and also repaired a fence on the outside of the garden. Even seasoned environmental studies students were surprised by what they learned. One freshman from the Sound School, while working along the Farmington Canal Trail, admitted that before he and his classmates saw which bulbs we were planting, he had been confused about why anyone would think burying lightbulbs would be a good idea.

One of the best parts of community gardening with students is that no question is too basic to ask. Outside of a classroom, in an environment without grades or rubrics, curiosity trumps embarrassment, and lessons students understood theoretically become much more real. One Sound School student exclaimed, as she raked up leaves by the community wall on Shelton Avenue,

“Now I know where all the wrappers go when I drop them on the ground at the bus stop! They all blow over here and then I have to pick them up!”

A sense of responsibility over the cleanliness of her neighborhood? Check.

We are looking forward to more outdoor programming this spring.

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Thank You, Common Ground Volunteers!

This morning, Wednesday, November 25, volunteers from Common Ground braved the cold weather to help NHS with various tasks at our Ivy Street Community Garden (raking leaves as well as planting Crocuses, Irises, and Tulips).

A huge thank you to the Common Ground students!

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

A Great Gift for the Gardener in Your Life!