In March, the Friends of Grand Rapids Parks launched its Citizen Forester program. Since then, we’ve held two separate Tree Planting 101 classes and trained over 40 Citizen Planters. On May 9th, we’ll host our first Tree Maintenance and Pruning Workshop. In June, we’ll be hosting our first Tree ID class. We’re continuing to develop additional curricula, so keep your eyes open for a variety of approaching classes. 

Vitamin D is important vitamin that is responsible for the absorption of calcium and phosphate. Remarkably, Vitamin D is produced in human skin with the stimulation of sunlight. Feel like you’ve been having trouble synthesizing your Vitamin D quota? We’ve got the cure. On April 26th and 27th, Friends of Grand Rapids Parks will be hosting a monster Arbor Day Planting in Riverside Park. Come out and help us plant over 150 trees (Sunlight is preferred and welcome, but not required. Trees get planted rain or shine).

Build a Better Block, a group of active, local, urban-minded volunteers are taking over State St from Jefferson to Cherry and turning it into a vibrant city block on May 18th and 19th. This project seeks to demonstrate new urban design ideas and promote discourse around roads, planning, zoning, businesses, and community-building. As part of this project Friends of Grand Rapids Parks will host the outdoor portion of their Tree Maintenance Pruning Class on the morning of both dates. This is an opportunity for newly trained volunteers to use their skills to directly improve City trees.

At it’s launch in August 2012, the Grand Rapids Tree Map contained thousands of trees contributed by earlier inventory efforts. As of April, the Tree Map has topped 18,000 trees. The tree map is a wonderful tool to understand the value and contribution of trees to our community. We’re happy that citizens have made good use of this tool in advocating for trees, tracking records, and communicating the value of the urban forest to their neighbors. Map on!

We’ve still got trees and cash available for a variety of community-based tree projects. We’re happy to work with community leaders and develop neat programs around trees in your neighborhood. So, if you have an idea for a tree project, event, outreach, or education effort, basically anything tree-related we encourage you to apply for a mini-grant!

This Spring and Summer, we’ll be working on putting together “Community Tree Maintenance Days”. In other words, we want to help neighborhoods, business districts, or community organizations manage their recently planted trees. If you’ve got a bunch of small trees that need a bit of pruning, weeding, and general care we can help by providing the tools and training to get it done! Contact us if your neighborhood is in need of early tree care.

Finally, we’re always interested in helping you grow trees in your neighborhood. If you’ve got planting ideas, you’re concerned about trees, or you want help advocating for the trees in your community, let us know. We’re happy to provide you with guidance and information. We’re your community resource.For information, contact Lee Mueller, Program Coordinator, Friends of Grand Rapids Parks at lee.mueller@friendsofgrparks.org or 616 389 4687

Jean Grae is the LadyFest GR late-night performance Friday, March 22 at The Pyramid Scheme.

Reposted from The Rapidian

INTERVIEW

After a successful inaugural LadyfestGR in 2012, the now annual event is set to kick off next week, expanding to two days of women-only musical performances, a variety show and workshops. LadyfestGR, on March 22 and 23, again will pass along all proceeds from the festival to a local nonprofit, and this year’s beneficiary is Our Kitchen Table – the food and social justice organization, in part focused on teaching women and children about growing their own food.

In the Catalyst Radio studio are Jes Kramer, an organizer for LadyfestGr, and Lisa Oliver-King, executive director of Our Kitchen Table.

Catalyst Radio LadyfestGR interview with OKT’s Lisa Oliver-King

Ladyfest March 22 & 23

OKT will be presenting a container gardening workshop at Ladyfest, 4 p.m. Saturday March 23 at the 106) GALLERY, 106 S. Division Ave. Grand Rapids. Check out the full line-up of performers and workshops  at LadyfestGR.com . Please support Ladyfest! OKT has been chosen to receive proceeds from the event this year.

OKT Community Convening March 23 & 30, April 20 & 27

Let’s discuss, reflect on and learn together about the topic “What Does Access to Food Look Like in Grand Rapids.” We will dialogue about local food access, food justice principles and food politics at Madison Square Church, 1441 Madison Ave. SE, Grand Rapids.

 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.  Saturday March 23 Access to Food – Local Efforts, Facilitated by Jeff Smith, GRIID
Jeff Smith has been involved in community organizing and social justice work for 30 years and has  been doing media and popular education work for nearly 25 years, most of it through the Grand Rapids Institute for Information Democracy (GRIID). He also is an urban food gardener of 25-plus years and serves as Urban Farmer / Food Justice Educator for Well House.

9 a.m. to 1 p.m.  Saturday March 30 Food Politics Facilitated by Cynthia Price*, Greater Grand Rapids Food Systems Council 

Cynthia Price is the chair and co-founder of the Greater Grand Rapids Food Systems Council, a food policy council which has been around since 2001. Her day job is as a newspaper editor, reporter and photographer for two papers, one in Muskegon and one in Grand Rapids.

Coming up in April!

Lila Cabbill, president emeritus of the Rosa Parks Institute, will facilitate the April 20 convening. La Donna Redmond*, nationally renown food justice activist, will facilitate the April 27 convening. Look for more information in your email and on the OKT website soon!

Reposted from Don’t Protest Growtest

The biggest players in the food industry—from pesticide pushers to fertilizer makers to food processors and manufacturers—spend billions of dollars every year not selling food, but selling the idea that we need their products to feed the world. But, do we really need industrial agriculture to feed the world? Can sustainably grown food deliver the quantity and quality we need—today and in the future? This Food MythBusters episode takes on these questions in under seven minutes. So the next time you hear them, you can too.

Biochemist Clinton Boyd PhD will teach about soil testing and other gardening topics during free OKT garden workshops March 2 and 9.

Did you know that high levels of toxic lead and arsenic are prevalent in Grand Rapids’ Baxter, SECA/Southtown, Garfield Park and Eastown neighborhoods? Their presence is a legacy issue. These areas once were home to fruit orchards. In those days, farmers sprayed their fruit trees with the pesticide lead arsenate. In addition, older housing stock was painted with lead based paints and, prior to the mandate for lead-free gasoline, vehicle emissions settling on the ground compounded the problem.

Biochemist Clinton Boyd PhD performs the soil testing for Our Kitchen Table’s farmers’ market vendors and yard gardeners involved in its food growing initiative. While agencies like Healthy Home Coalition provide resources for residents of lead contaminated homes to clean up their indoor environments, not much is available to clean up lead and arsenic based soils found in yards.

Boyd sees this as particularly dangerous to families with young children who are gardening. Digging in the dirt puts the hands in contact with the toxins. Even when container gardens are used, kneeling in or walking through the contaminated soil can track it back into the home where it may be ingested.

Lead poisoning causes a wide range of neurological problems especially in children: seizures, learning disabilities, behavior problems and more. Before you or your children dig or play in the dirt, consider having your yard professionally tested for lead and arsenic.