Temperatures are rising, the sap is flowing, seeds have arrived for ~40,000 culturally important starts, and community garden registration begins next week. This all means one thing: The growing season is right around the corner!
While our youth programs are year-round, our work is seasonal and winter is the time for the planning and resource development that makes it all possible. We are excited to share that a community-led planning process is underway for the New American Sustainable Agriculture Project. This winter we also completed organizational systems overhauls with our new finance team, launched a new website (thank you iBec Creative!), grew our board and adopted new bylaws, and made changes to many of the behind-the-scenes processes that will improve the day-to-day ways our community engages with us.
Looking for ways to get involved? Read on!
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Free Pruning Workshop Saturday 3/9
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Join us for a free workshop and community work day at Boyd St. Community Garden and Orchard this Saturday, March 9th, 1 – 3 pm. Led by Aaron Parker of Edgewood Nursery and in collaboration with our friends at the Mt. Joy Orchard, this hands-on workshop will teach the basic principles of pruning older and overgrown fruit trees. City of Portland staff will also be joining to answer questions. We will work in teams to practice what we’ve learned and revive the aging fruit trees for an abundant summer harvest!
This workshop is free, rain or shine and everyone is welcome, no need to RSVP. Children are welcome. Please dress for the weather and bring a water bottle and any pruning tools you have. The Boyd Street Orchard is an open-harvest orchard located at 2 Boyd St, Portland, ME. We’ll meet by the yellow sheds.
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Free Mushroom Kits for Classrooms!
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Are you an educator looking for a fun winter project for your students? Thank you to our longtime partners at Johnny’s Selected Seeds we have 75 free lion’s mane spray and grow mushroom kits to give away.
To pick one up for your classroom stop by Cultivating Community’s Portland office at 58 Boyd St. Mon-Th 9-5 pm or reach out to Lilly, our Schools Partnership Manager, at lkendall@cultivatingcommunity.org.
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Community Garden Registration
Starts Next Week!
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Thanks to our partners at the City of Portland, we’ve extended our contract to manage the Community Garden Program!
Keep an eye on your email – registration for returning gardeners begins next week! We’ve wrapped up our winter waitlist reconfirmation process. If we didn’t receive a form or were unable to reach you, your name has been removed from the waitlist but you are welcome to reapply. We thank everyone who is waiting for a plot for their patience, this year there will be ~100 plots filled with new gardeners with priority given to low-income growers.
Here is our Spring timeline:
- Week of March 11: Registration begins for returning gardeners (including transfers)
- March 29: Registration deadline for returning gardeners
- April 1-29: New gardener registration & orientations
- May: Garden season begins!
Thank you to our Community Garden Sponsors for helping to sustain this program! If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, learn more on our new website or reach out to info@cultivatingcommunity.org for a garden tour.
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 This winter we were selected to participate in Boost, a program from the Quimby Family Foundation, to help support Cultivating Community’s communications and storytelling as we evolve. As part of the project, we are asking our core partners (you!) to respond to this network survey by March 15.
This quick survey is designed to gather insights into how we can better spread the word about our work as well as capture stories of the impact we’re making. You are a valued part of our community and we’d be grateful to have your voice represented.
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Portland Public Schools Partnership
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For over 15 years, Cultivating Community has been providing hands-on and garden-based programming for Portland students, advocating for garden education and local culturally relevant school meals, and offering leadership internships that focus on local food systems. We want to extend a thank you to Superintendent Scallon and the Portland Public School Board members for keeping Environmental Literacy positions in the elementary schools and their thoughtful approach to a very challenging budget.
What can you do now to make sure every child is given outdoor learning opportunities and schools and teachers have the support and resources they need? SPEAK UP!
Please share your personal stories. We will not receive funding from this budget, but our Schools Partnership and Youth Leadership Internship programs depend on dedicated administrators, Environmental Literacy teachers, and Extended Learning Opportunities coordinators. You can read the letter we and other community partners shared with the school board. Regardless of the final budget, Cultivating Community is committed to stepping up to ensure that the elementary school gardens remain vibrant learning spaces for all students. |
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Meet Our Board of Directors –
Amanda Scarpone
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We are thrilled to introduce you to one of our newest board members, Amanda Scarpone (she/her)!
Amanda was born and raised in Maine and is deeply drawn to its natural beauty and the way Maine’s landscape can provide for its inhabitants when we treat it with knowledge, respect, and justice. Amanda is the Program Director of MaineShare at Maine Initiatives and also teaches sociology and public health courses as an Adjunct Faculty at the University of New England. She is deeply interested in the ways that our health is connected to social institutions and how increased and equitable access to local, sustainable food can benefit us all. She enjoys gardening, growing flowers, produce, and herbs; and exploring mountains by biking, skiing, hiking, and snowshoeing. She lives with her husband and their two cats, Poptart and PacMan.
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Interested in learning more about board service, or joining a committee? We are accepting applications for new members! Please fill out this form to the best of your ability. If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact Silvan Shawe, Executive Director, at info@cultivatingcommunity.org.
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Community Support Spotlight!
Portland Food Co-op
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This March, you can make a difference by supporting Cultivating Community through the Portland Food Co-op Register Round-Up program! Participating is easy, when asked if you’d like to round up, say “yes” to the cashier at the end of your Co-op visit!
Thank you to the Portland Food Co-op for their support.
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We are a grassroots organization and depend on our donors to help make our work possible. Please contribute if you are able. Volunteer time and in-kind donations are always welcome. Reach out to info@cultivatingcommunity.org with ideas or to learn more about how to get involved.
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