$65K in Grant Money available to support community gardens

I just saw this in the most recent issue of Organic Gardening Magazine and thought I would pass it along to the Community Gardeners in the area.

Nature's Path and Organic Gardening Magazine are teaming up "to give $65,000 in grant money to 3 deserving non-profits who demonstrate a passion and vision for what organic gardening can achieve for their community."

I skimmed the rules and, basically, they say "By entering each Eligible Non-Profit Participant agrees that the prize shall only be used by the winning Eligible Non-Profit Participants for the expenses of establishing an organic garden in 2011 to provide food for a feeding program to serve low income adults, children, or families, in the form of a soup kitchen, food bank, emergency pantry, before or after school feeding program, shelter or similar type program. "

You can enter through Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/naturespath

Winner Selection: It looks like to get into the final round, you need to get people to vote for your project. So if anyone in the area enters, be sure and let us know so we can try to stir up some votes for you.

In addition to the number of votes, entries are judged on: "(1) their compelling, empowering and inspirational nature in describing how the Prize would be used to help support a feeding program, such, as a soup kitchen, food bank, emergency pantry, before or after school feeding program, shelter, or similar type of program, to assist low income adults, children or families and describe the number of people that will be served, the size of the population in need, and the Eligible Non-Profit Participant's ability to establish and maintain a garden; and (2) the effective expression of ideas and/or description of personal challenges (the "Judging Criteria")."

Here's a link to the full rules: Nature's Path Gardens for Good Contest

Good luck!

Chesapeake Ecology Center Open House & Native Plant Sale

What: Chesapeake Ecologoy Center (CEC) Garden Open House & Native Plant Sale

When: Saturday, September 24th, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Where: 245 Clay Street, Annapolis, Maryland 21401

All are invited to this free event at the Chesapeake Ecology Center (CEC). Please mark your calendar and join us for refreshments, garden tours led by Master Gardeners, and great rainscaping information and handouts. The CEC is located at Adams Academy at Adams Park Middle School, in Annapolis, Maryland, just two blocks from the Naval Academy Stadium. Visit http://www.chesapeakeecologycenter.org/ for directions to the CEC, and for a plant list of available species for sale.

Great prices on a variety of native plants, and 2 for the price of 1 for the following:

• Orange Coneflower (Rudbeckia fulgida)
• Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
• Blue-Eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium)
• Little Blue Stem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
• Blue Sedge (Carex glaucodea)

Sales from our annual fundraiser help support on-going maintenance and improvement of the 30 Native Plant Demonstration Gardens and Sites at the CEC–which are a public resource for all! We can't do it without your support!

Information submitted by: Zora Lathan zoralathan@earthlink.net