The CGA community successfully installed our first garden last Sunday!

With over 400 square feet of growing space, this is a great opportunity for CGA scholars to learn about food, from seed to plate.

Additional plans for the garden will be developed through the PTO Wellness committee, which meets on the first Wednesday of every month from 7:45 am – 8:45 am at Local Matters office, 633 Parson Ave. All are welcome, including kids.

The garden was made possible by a generous grant from the City of Columbus, administered by the Columbus Foundation, with product from Scotts MiracleGro Company. A school neighbor, Tony Mandator, approached the school about starting a garden and co-wrote the grant proposal with CGA parent, Michelle Moskowitz Brown.

Seeds, plants, and materials were generously donated by the following individuals:

Milan Karcic, of Peace, Love and Freedom Farm, in the Maize-Morse neighborhood.

• Peaceloveandfreedomfarm.blogspot.com
• You can find Milan’s produce at the Refectory restaurant, Dough Mama Pie and Pastry, by joining his CSA, or purchase directly from him at the Clintonville Farmers’ Market.

Lindsey Norman, of Bootstrap Homestead, in Northland.

• www.facebook.com/Bootstrap-Homestead
• Lindsey’s seedlings and cut flowers will be available for purchase at the Franklin Park Conservatory Farmers’ Market, the Columbus Square Farmers’ Market, and a yet to be named market in South Linden.

Kate Hodges, of Foraged and Sown, in Linden.

• www.foragedandsown.com
• Kate grows annual and perennial herbs, berries, and nuts. You can purchase her seedlings at City Folks Farm Shop, and her seedlings, herbs, flowers, and foraged foods at the Clintonville Farmers’ Market.

Aliena Sword, of Swordscapes, LLC., in Linden.

• Swordscapes is a lawn care company. Their hostas can be purchased at City Folks Farm Shop.

Jodi Kushins, of Over the Fence Urban Farm, in Clintonville.

• www.Overthefencefarm.com
• Jodi’s produce can currently only be purchased by joining her CSA.

Other donors inlcude:

• Mary Rathke
• Courtney Bethem Phillips
• Maria Cantelmo, and
• Heather Tranquillo.

Columbus Gifted Academy parents and the PTO have partnered with a CGA neighbor on a city garden grant and we were awarded $1,655.

The garden installation is scheduled for Sunday, April 24, from 10 AM to 4 PM. Please come at start time and stay as long as you can. We’ll post the plan and sign-ups closer to the date.

Even better, we are starting up the CGA Wellness Committee.  The Wellness committee will meet on the first Wednesday of each month during the school year at 7:45 AM at Local Matters (633 Parsons Ave, just a few blocks from the school).  Kids are welcome if you generally drop them off in the morning.

Ellen McAuliffe and Michelle Moskowitz Brown are leading the Wellness Committee and coordinating its activities with the garden grant. They propose the concept of “Eat, Play, Love” for the Wellness Committee: good food, physical activity and nurturing.

Current ideas include the raised bed garden and a garden club with curriculum (which will start in the fall), a Girls on the Run program (with a 3-5 grade chapter and 6-8 grade group if a coach is available), other sports activities, and potentially meditation and yoga. These activities could be great coordinated with a latchkey program.  The plan is to incorporate physical activities into existing events rather than develop a single fitness event.

This guide from the Alliance for a Healthier Generation will help us determine and reach goals with a diverse group of participants:

This is a really exciting opportunity.  Please join us and stay tuned for more information or contact Michelle at [email protected].