The Garden Club of the Back Bay

Share Our Strength’s Cooking Matters, nationally sponsored by the ConAgra Foods® Foundation and WalMart Foundation, is a groundbreaking nutrition education program that connects families with food by teaching them how to prepare healthy, tasty low-cost meals. Chefs and nutritionists volunteer their time and expertise to lead hands-on courses that instruct adults, teens and kids in getting the most nutrition on of a limited budget. Cooking Matters has reached more than 45,000 families across the country since 1993. For more information, visit www.cookingmatters.org/mass. We are always looking for cooking and nutrition instructors to teach our multi-session class series. Volunteer chefs work in partnership with nutritionists, using the lesson plans and recipes for each class provided in an established curriculum. Classes meet for two hours once a week for six weeks. Cooking Matters provides all materials needed for class, including curricula, cooking and teaching supplies, kitchen, and support staff. To learn more, call 617-774-1324 or email mdelgizzi@strength.org.  They host  New Volunteer Trainings at least once a month, with  two conveniently-located training sessions coming up, and are a three-minute walk from the No. Quincy T on the Red Line.

Mayor Thomas M. Menino has announced that 40,000 daffodil bulbs will be planted in late October (October 22 or 29) along Boston’s public ways, including sidewalks, medians and paths.  The Boston Parks and Recreation Department is seeking volunteers to assist with the plantings and suggestions for locations to be beautified.  Sign up today by filling out a form to support the daffodil planting program at www.cityofboston.gov/parks/daffodil_signup.aspx.  Take photos of your group planting.  Photos may be viewed on Facebook and will be submitted to local newspapers.  Email parks@cityofboston.gov if you need more information or have any questions.

The Friends of the Public Garden is working to put together a snap shot of how people utilize the Public Garden, Boston Common and Commonwealth Avenue Mall for their pets. The Friends is asking dog owners to participate in the discussion by taking a brief survey regarding their use of the parks. Questions are designed to gauge how often dogs use each space and which spaces are used most often. Friends is also interested in hearing what dog owners have to say about an off-leash pilot program. The survey is available online at www.surveymonkey.com/s/KKSQFJ9.  For a printed copy, call the Friends at 617-723-8144.  Provide your email address at the end of the survey to be entered into a drawing to win a $20 gift certificate for Fish & Bone- Urban Pet Essentials.

Beginning August 17th, Whole Kids Foundation School Garden Grant Program will be accepting online applications for school garden grants! In partnership with FoodCorps, Whole Kids Foundation will grant 1000 schools $2000 each to build or expand their school garden.

To kids (and many adults!), gardens are magical places where they can see things come to life. Experiencing that process for themselves helps kids understand that food comes from plants, and not out of a box or off a truck. With that in mind, the goal of the garden grant program is to support schools wanting to establish or grow their gardening programs so they can offer their students the great experience of gardening.

Learning about the process of growing food helps children develop a deep understanding of the connection between healthy eating and a healthy body. Like anyone who gardens, kids are proud of the fruits of their labor and are more apt to eat the fresh veggies they’ve grown. School gardens also offer an opportunity to integrate math, science and health curriculum into a dynamic, interactive setting. Plus, teaching kids to garden helps them learn about complex topics like sustainability and conservation, food systems and community awareness.

If you’re interested in getting a garden in your local school and want to find out more about the online application process, visit the Whole Kids Foundation School Garden Grant Program page for a downloadable PDF with complete grant information.

Then, when you’re ready to apply online, you’ll follow three steps:

Step 1: On your first visit, you’ll be asked to provide your email address and create a password. If you want to complete your application in two sessions, when you return simply click the Login button on the right side of the page.

Step 2: The second section of the application requires information about the applying entity: the school, district, or nonprofit organization to whom the grant will be paid.

Step 3: The final section of the application is to learn more about the garden project for which you are applying, what groups are involved, how students will be engaged and the details of your garden plan including timeline and budget.

Grant applications will be accepted through December 31, 2011. Applications will be reviewed and recipients will be notified in February 2012. There is a limit of one garden grant per school.

What do you think? Would a school garden grant help bring momentum and passion for healthy food, agriculture and nutrition into your local school?

Thanks in no small part to the continued success of our recent Twilight Garden Party, The Garden Club of the Back Bay announces that the following organizations will receive a total of $20,000 in financial grants for 2011:

The Commonwealth Avenue Mall Committee – $5,000 to be credited to the Hereford Street to Massachusetts Avenue  air spading project fund.

The Friends of the Public Garden – $4,000 to continue the inoculation of elms at risk for contracting Dutch elm disease.

The Esplanade Association – $2,500 for the Elliot Oval Landscape Restoration, planting new trees and treating trees already on site, near the newly restored Community Boating docks.

Emerald Necklace Conservancy – $2,500 for a planned meadow to be developed with native species and wildflowers.

Boston Nature Center/Massachusetts Audubon Society - $2,500 to support six full scholarships for its summer camp.  The children attending the camp range in age from 5 to 14 and are from the local neighborhoods of Mattapan, Roslindale, and Jamaica Plain.

Charles River Clean Up Boat – $2,000, to help continue the project of keeping the Charles River trash-free.

Urban Ecology Institute - $1,000 to help with its Grow Boston Greener tree planting initiative.

The Boston Committee of the Garden Club of America – $500 to the Blossom Fund, which is accumulating funds over a five year period to be awarded to a deserving project on or about the Rose Kennedy Greenway.

For more information on all these important organizations and to learn more about the work they do, visit their website links above.  In addition to the above grants, The Garden Club of the Back Bay will spend an additional $20,000 on planting, pruning, and treating the street trees in our neighborhood over the coming year.  Thank you to all our volunteers and contributors for making our horticultural endeavors happen!

Expand your knowledge of the Arnold Arboretum and share your passion for plants with others.  Arboretum Interpreters will be trained to talk knowledgeably about the Arboretum and plants.  In addition to training on Arboretum history, plant terminology, and the landscape, volunteers will learn interpretive techniques to effectively engage with visitors of all ages.  As an Arboretum Interpreter, you will have casual interactions and conversations with visitors, one-on-one or in small groups.  You’ll help people find their way through the landscape, explore the fascinating world of plants, communicate how the Arboretum is a living museum, and make Arboretum history come alive.  Fall 2011 training will be held at the Arnold Arboretum, 125 Arborway in Boston,  and there is no no fee.  Punctuality and attendance at every session, as well as commitment to the program, are very important.  The training will be held on three Tuesdays and two Saturdays in September:

Saturdays, September 10 and 17, 10 am – 3 pm

Tuesdays, September 13, 20 and 27,  6 pm – 8:30 pm

The Arboretum Interpreter program is a partnership: you provide your time, commitment and enthusiasm, and the Arnold Arboretum provides rich resources, experienced staff, and special benefits for volunteers.  It is also a wonderful opportunity for self-growth and for reaching out to Arboretum visitors to communicate the importance of plants in our lives.  An application form may be found at www.arboretum.harvard.edu (click on Get Involved, then click on Volunteer.)  After receipt of your application, a staff member will contact you.  An interview will then be scheduled.

The Garden Club of the Back Bay assists Hale House, a not for profit retirement residence located at 273 Clarendon Street in Boston.  This year, the Club has donated $500 for the purchase of annual flowering plants to brighten Hale House’s inner garden.  We are looking for volunteers on Tuesday, May 17, Tuesday, May 24, and Thursday, May 26, beginning at 10:30 am, to help with the planting.  One or two hours of your time will be all that is needed.  If you are able to assist, please email Bev Christians at j.bchris@verizon.net and let her know.  Bring a small trowel, garden gloves, and lots of good will.  Meet at the northeast corner of Clarendon and Marlborough Streets.

The Annual Back Bay Alley Rally is upon us! Meet at the Clarendon Street Playground, at the corner of Clarendon Street and Commonwealth Avenue, on Saturday morning, April 30, at 8:30 for breakfast, then gather in groups to clean our alleys and side streets. Rejoin your fellow volunteers for lunch at noon. For more information, log on to www.nabbonline.com.

Join members of the Garden Club of the Back Bay for a clean up and mulching of tree pits along Beacon Street on Friday, May 13, from 9 – noon.  Meet at 330 Beacon Street, dress in gardening clothes, and bring your own gloves.  Rain date is Friday, May 20, also from 9 – noon.  We need a head count by May 1, so please email Sherley Smith at slgsmith58@gmail.com if you can help.  We may have to cancel if we have too few volunteers.

Christina Poff of the Franklin Park Coalition and Nataka Crayton of United Neighbors of Lower Roxbury will talk about planning volunteer stewardship projects, coordinating with agencies, finding support from neighborhood businesses, and doing effective publicity and outreach at a workshop on Tuesday, April 26, hosted by Boston Park Advocates.  The evening will begin with pizza and networking at 5:30, followed by the workshop at 6.  The event takes place at Boston Natural Areas Network, 62 Summer Street in Boston.  RSVP at http://bit.ly/fjSkyD.

Celebrate spring with the Friends of the Clarendon Street Playground on Saturday, April 23, beginning at 10:00 am.  Join them for an egg hunt, coffee and doughnuts, and enjoy a visit from the Easter bunny (although less maniacal than the fellows pictured below.)  Free.  Volunteers are needed to hide eggs at 8:00 am.  If you would like to help with the event, please contact playground@nabbonline.com, or call 617-247-3961.

Spend an afternoon from 2 – 4 on Tuesday, April 19 side-by-side with Historic New England’s Casey Farm’s experienced and knowledgeable vegetable farmers to learn the tricks of the trade while helping the greenhouse team prepare for the popular Mother’s Day plant sale. As you plant, you’ll discuss the proper ways to start seedlings and get answers to your garden questions. Space is limited to 15. Free, but open only to Historic New England members. Casey Farm is located at 2325 Boston Neck Road, Saunderstown, Rhode Island. Registration is required. Please call 401-295-1030 for more information.

The 12th Annual Earth Day Charles River Cleanup takes place at all sites along the Charles River and its tributaries on Saturday, April 16, from 9 am – noon. To volunteer on the Esplanade and the parkland up to the River Bridge, contact Jessica Blohm at The Esplanade Association by calling 617-227-0365, or contact the Charles River Watershed Association at 781-788-0007, ext. 303.

The Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay has informed us of a Petition to Support H. 1169, An Act Protecting Sunlight in Certain Public Parks, sponsored by Representatives Martha Walz and Byron Rushing. To read the bill, go to www.malegislature.gov/Bills/187/House/H01169.  This bill seeks to expand and clarify the current laws that protect the sunlight on the beloved Boston Public Garden and the Boston Common by limiting new shadows.  Specifically, the bill would prohibit any new construction or building remodeling from blocking sunlight and casting new shadows on six additional public parks.  The goal of the bill is to allow reasonably-scaled development near the parks while protecting sufficient sunlight for the health of the park environment and the enjoyment of its users.

The five Boston parks and one Cambridge park will be protected by the bill are:

* The Back Bay Fens
* Christopher Columbus Park
* The Commonwealth Avenue Mall
* Copley Square Park
* The Esplanade
* Magazine Beach Park

You can sign the petition immediately (through May 22) by logging in to https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/sunlight2.  However, if you have already signed the petition, please do not do so again.  If you have any questions concerning this legislation, you may email Sue Prindle at sprindl@verizon.net.  Photo from www.gardenvoice.com.

The Garden Club of the Back Bay web site has a new link on the right hand side of our home page – the Friends of the Boston Park Rangers.  The Boston Mounted Horse Project: Preserving Boston’s Park Ranger Mounted Unit, can be found at www.SaveBostonsHorses.org.  The friends group, led by Julie Donahue and Cokie Perry, has applied for independent non-profit status, but on a temporary basis, the Emerald Necklace Conservancy is serving as the fiduciary agent for the friends and welcomes donations payable to the Justine Mee Liff Fund, designated for the Boston Park Ranger Program.  Checks may be sent to the Emerald Necklace Conservancy at 125 The Fenway, Boston, MA 02115.

The Boston Park Rangers Mounted Unit was created in 1982 through an initial effort by the Boston Parks and Recreation Department. It has since grown into a program that once boasted more than twelve patrol horses and twenty-four year-round park rangers plus the addition of seasonal rangers. However, due to budget constraints, the program has been halved and is under consideration of total disbandment.

When the Boston Park Rangers Mounted Unit faced disbandment last year, the Emerald Necklace Conservancy raised $140,000 in donations to maintain the unit through the fiscal year 2010 and the early part of 2011. The efforts of the Conservancy saved jobs and protected the safety of the park system by providing funding to local enforcement to continue providing mounted security to the Emerald Necklace.

Now, facing a renewed effort to cease the mounted program, the Friends of the Boston Park Rangers have taken up the cause. Through fund-raising and donations, they hope to reach their goal of providing the city of Boston with $155,000 to maintain the Boston Park Rangers Mounted Unit through the fiscal year, and further prove the mounted program’s importance and necessity in maintaining the safety of Boston’s park system.  Some very nifty aprons are available for purchase, too.

On Sunday, February 27th, farm workers from Florida – the men and women who pick the tomatoes Bostonians eat from October to May every year — will be joined by consumers from across the Northeast in a march beginning at Copley Square, through downtown Boston, to the Brigham Circle Stop & Shop store, where they will hold a rally to demand that the supermarket chain join a growing partnership among farm workers, Florida tomato growers, and retail food giants aimed at ending decades of farm labor abuse in Florida.  Farm workers from the Coalition of Immokalee (FL) Workers, Slow Food president Josh Viertel, religious leaders, students, community activists from across the Northeast sponsor the march. “We pick Boston’s tomatoes, and for years those tomatoes have been harvested in Florida’s fields under unimaginably harsh conditions,” said Leonel Perez of the CIW. “Today, however, we are finally beginning to see the first glimmers of more humane treatment at work, thanks to the Campaign for Fair Food.”  Florida farm workers have long faced brutal conditions in the fields, including sub-poverty wages, widespread labor rights violations, and even modern-day slavery. Today, however, there is hope on the horizon, thanks to the efforts of farm workers, Fair Food activists, Florida tomato growers, and nine food industry leaders (including Whole Foods) who have joined in support of the CIW’s Fair Food principles, including a penny-per-pound piece rate wage increase, a strict code of conduct, a cooperative complaint resolution system, a participatory health and safety program, and a worker-to-worker education process. Last November, the CIW and the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange (FTGE) signed an agreement to extend these principles to over 90% of Florida’s tomato fields. And though the implementation of that agreement is being phased in gradually over the course of this season and the next, many real, concrete changes have already taken root on some of the state’s largest farms. The solution to farm labor exploitation and abuse contained in the Fair Food principles depends on the participation of all the major purchasers of Florida tomatoes. Each buyer must contribute its fair share – its penny-per-pound – for the pay raise to reach its full potential. Each buyer must commit to direct its purchases to those growers complying with the code of conduct – and away from those who don’t – for working conditions to get better and stay better. In the words of the FTGE’s Reggie Brown, “Everybody in the system has to be invested for it to work.” About the Coalition of Immokalee Workers: The CIW (www.ciw-online.org) is a community-based farm worker organization headquartered in Immokalee, Florida, with over 4,000 members. The CIW seeks modern working conditions for farm workers and promotes their fair treatment in accordance with national and international human rights standards. The CIW’s Campaign for Fair Food has won unprecedented support for fundamental farm labor reforms from retail food industry leaders. The Campaign for Fair Food taps the unique powers of all the elements of our country’s food industry: of consumers, to demand the highest ethical standards for food production; of food retailers, to use their tremendous buying power both to demand higher labor standards of their suppliers and help raise farm workers out of poverty through a price that supports sustainable production; of growers, to continuously improve their operations and meet consumer demand, keeping pace with an evolving marketplace, and, of farm workers, to help expose and fix the worst abuses and apply their unique knowledge toward modernizing, and humanizing, our farm labor system.

The United Nations, through Resolution Number 61/193, named 2011 the International Year of Forests, launched February 2, 2011 at the General Assembly Hall in New York City.  Preparations for the observance of Forests 2011 are taking place at the national, regional and international levels.  Copies of the resolution, and a calendar of events, can be found on the UN website http://www.un.org/en/events/iyof2011/index.shtml.  Forests are home to more than 300 million people throughout the world.  Primary forests account for more than 35% of forest area.  30% of forests are used for the production of wood and non-wood products.  The livelihoods of 1.6 billion people rely on forests.  Forests cover 31% of land area.  Take part in this celebration of the importance of forests throughout the world. Though the website, you may submit photos, poems, essays, films, and thoughts about the importance of our forest cover.  Winners of the Forest Film Festival Competition (screened at the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival) may be found at www.jhfestival.org/forestfestival/index.htm.

As the Ecological Landscaping Association (ELA) begins its 19th year, it continues to expand the educational and outreach programs that we will be offered. The Ecological Landscaping Association is a nonprofit, member-based organization made up of professionals, businesses and pro-active community members who believe in using landscape practices that are environmentally safe and beneficial. It is an exciting time to be involved in ELA, and you are invited to share your time and ideas to advance the ELA educational mission.

ELA is actively recruiting individuals to assist on committees or to serve on its Board of Directors. The committees work in many areas, including:

* Conference planning
* Round table development
* Eco-tour scheduling
* Newsletter article writing
* Community outreach expansion
* Financial planning and analysis
* Membership expansion
* Website development & expansion

Please add your talents, experience, and energy to help ELA grow in 2011. Volunteer today! For more information, email Penny Lewis, ELA Executive Director, at ela.info@comcast.net, or call (617) 436-5838.

Bird feeding has become an extremely popular winter activity in our region. Harnessing that interest, Mass Audubon and its partners have enlisted enthusiastic feeder watchers of all ages to track trends in abundance of winter feeder bird species for more than 40 years.  Observations from the bird watching public contribute to a growing database that can provide early warning signs on changes in abundance of bird species that visit feeders.

For example, feeder watching in Massachusetts has helped document the decline of the House Finch as a result of conjunctivitis, and the northward expansion of the Northern Cardinal, Tufted Titmouse, and Carolina Wren in response to warmer winters.  The Mass Audubon staff especially appreciate reading the many comments submitted by participants as they can help them interpret results (e.g., “Feeder birds down this year” or “where are all my redpolls?”). The wildlife photos often sent in with Focus on Feeders observations are great, too!

Step 1: During the weekend of February 5 and 6, simply note the diversity and number of each species in view at any one time.

Step 2: Record your observations on the official Focus on Feeders Report Form (PDF 597K) found on the Mass Audubon website and either mail it to Mass Audubon or submit your findings online (starting February 5).

Step 3: Get your camera ready. They’ll award prizes in several categories for wildlife photographs submitted with bird observations. Winning photographs will also appear on the Mass Audubon website. All wildlife photos are welcome and need not be limited to birds. Amateur photographers only, please. All photos submitted become the property of Mass Audubon.  2010 Best Overall Photo below was taken by Harry Becker.

Step 4: Ask your friends and neighbors to join the fun, as the value of the data collected increases with the number of participants. The names of all those who report their observations will be entered into a drawing to win one of several prizes, including Mass Audubon baseball caps and more.

Learn about the history of feeder watching in Massachusetts, or see past results.  To learn more please email focusonfeeders@massaudubon.org.

Spotting fireflies is a special part of any warm summer night, because we so rarely see them. Are fireflies disappearing from our landscape? If so, why? What can we do about it?

The Museum of Science has linked with the Citizen Science website, co-sponsored by the Museum of Science, Tufts University, and Fitchburg State College, helping researchers determine why fireflies seem to be declining, and offering the general public an opportunity to learn how to collect scientific data in a manner that is both useful to firefly researchers and fun for the whole family.

Using your own backyard as a data collection site, chart the occurrence of fireflies from May to August. Each week, you can upload your observations to the website, joining the data from hundreds of other citizen scientists to track the status of fireflies in your area.

Becoming a citizen scientist is easy and fun, and your collective data is essential to helping scientists learn why firefly numbers are declining, as well as what can be done to reverse the trend. Whether you participate as an individual or family, it is a great way to foster a lifelong interest in science and a greater understanding of natural history. To learn more about the project, and to register, log on to www.mos.org/fireflywatch.