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Table of Contents WHY A GARDEN?...................................................................................................................2

BACKGROUND………………………………………………………………………...….…2

LOCATION…………………………………………………………………………….……...3

STRUCTURE OF EACH RAISED BED………………………………………….…………3

DIMENSIONS…………………………………………………………………………………3

WEIGHT……………………………………………………………………………….………3

MAITENANCE………………………………………………………………………….…..3-4

TIMELINE FOR THE GARDEN………………………………………………………….4-5

BUDGET……………………………………………………………………………………….6

USE VARIOUS FORMS OF PUBLICITY…………………………………………………..6

DOCUMENT THE EXPERIENCE…………………………………………………………..6

PLANTS TO GROW…………………………………………………………………………6-7

PLANT YIELD…………………………………………………………………………………7

THE FUTURE OF THE GARDEN……………………………………………………………7

Appendix A: SUN APPROVAL………………………………………………………………..8

Appendix B: DRAWN PLAN FOR EAST SIDE OF GATES GYM………………………...8

Appendix C: YELLOW TRACTOR TEMPLATE…………………………………………...9

Appendix D: IMPORTANT CONTACT INFORMATION………………………………9-10

Appendix E: CREATING A PETITION……………………………………………………..10

Appendix F: SAMPLE POSTER TO HANG IN THE COMMUNITY…………………….10

Appendix G: SUMMER MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE………………………………..11-13

Appendix H: SUMMER WORKERS CONTACT LIST…………………………………14-15

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WHY A GARDEN?: The garden engages the entire community at New Trier High School to come together and do something productive, while promoting environmental awareness. The garden serves as an interactive way of learning for IGSS, environmental-science classes, special education classes, clubs, and even art and cooking classes. With gardens prevalent in many middle schools now, there are plenty of students and parents in the community engaged with working in an organic garden. The garden would allow even more of an outreach to the community by potentially selling produce in farmers’ markets to benefit others of the community. We have worked two years to get the garden and now have the opportunity to learn self-sufficiency and the benefits of locally grown organic foods.

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BACKGROUND: Provided by the Yellow Tractor program (a non-for-profit organization that promotes healthy eating and local food), four 4 X 8 foot raised beds are used as a learning opportunity for classes, clubs, and the community at New Trier High School. In addition, compost using leaves, plants, and other natural organic material will feed the four gardens. We have been working with Mrs. Wendy Irwin to build-in the gardens, determine logistics, and receive training. The program advocates for “sustainable growth by building vegetable and fruit gardens; clearing a path for food security, providing opportunities for healthier life skills, and creating a safe place for children to grow not only food, but themselves.”

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LOCATION: The four gardens are outside the east side of the Gates gymnasium, along the brick wall. This is a beneficial location for the plants because of the amount of sunlight that reaches this side of the building. While certain parts of that area get more sunlight, we need to take this into consideration when planting (Please see Appendix A and B). The structure of the gardens is meant to withhold thunderstorms and the snowy Chicago winters. Furthermore, the gardens will be visible to individuals picking students up or entering/exiting the building, adding an aesthetic appeal as well.

STRUCTURE OF EACH RAISED BED: Each bed is made out of high-quality cedar wood and the twelve-inch width of each board prevents small animals from damaging the plants, such as baby rabbits. The toothed edges of each cedar board, allows each side to come together easily with a large metal pin that holds each board together. Furthermore, the basic design makes the raised beds mobile—meaning they can be collapsed and built-in at anytime. For wintertime, there is also a cover for each garden to protect the soil (Please see Appendix C). DIMENSIONS: Each bed is 4 ft X 8 ft and 1 ft in depth. WEIGHT: Each 4 x 8 Yellow Tractor Garden bed weighs in at between 1,590 and 1,640 lbs all said and done. Boards: approx. 70 lbs/each Soil: approx. 1230/lbs Plants: approx 30/lbs Water in soil: est. 50/100 lbs MAINTENANCE: The Integrated Global Studies Schools manages the workers and schedule for the four raised beds. With eighth period for a group of seniors designated to IGSS leadership, student leaders have already signed-on to managing the garden next year. Environmental Club, Botany Club (coming next fall), Conservation Club, and any interested New Trier classes could participate as well, but need to communicate with IGSS before planting. The summer of 2012, the special education summer school classes are using the garden as well. Each week, the gardens would need to be watered approximately three times a week. Below is a school-year management plan and summer management plan. **A locker/shed with tools is located next to the garden.

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School Year Plan: Mr. Rafferty-Flatter has agreed to incoorporating the garden into the IGSS Science curriculum. Based on class divisions for each day, he will allow class time for students to tend the garden. The 2013 Senior IGSSers will help train the 2013 Juniors. This will develop a cycle, in which those trained will train the new IGSSers. Summer Plan: With the help of the Yellow Tractor Program, the garden coordinators will submit advertisements to local papers, as well as hang posters throughout the community advertising the opportunity to maintain the garden. This summer we have 29 workers that signed up through a Google Doc (see Appendix G and “USE VARIOUS FORMS OF PUBLICITY.” Summer workers get the summer yield for free. TIMELINE FOR THE GARDEN: *September: IGSS will allow class time to cover garden procedures. *Early March: Begin getting the emails of IGSS students interested in working the gardens over the summer. Send out an email to IGSS parents to seek parent interest. Also, begin an online petition that you can send viral to spread the message of the garden. This also acts as a network for possible summer workers. Send out a Google Doc with the summer schedule and people can sign up for weeks they are available (see Appendix G).

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*Attend Go Green Wilmette (Usually in early March--This Year: March 11)

*End of April: Receive final list of summer workers and notify them of their commitment. Create another Google Doc with their contact information (see “SUMMER MAINTENANCE

SCHEDULE”). Create a contact sheet with emails and cell phones. Give contact information to people working similar weeks, so they can work out a schedule amongst each other (see Appendix H). *End of April: Send one IGSS student to the garden workshop organized by Yellow Tractor Program. Make sure to contact Mrs. Irwin. *Early May: Arrange a training and planting day for all the summer workers during IGSS time. Notify adults and students working the garden over the summer, so they can make sure to attend this day. Some students might need to be excursioned out of class, so make sure to arrange this ahead of time. *Beginning of June end of July: Two more workshops are offered (optional). The July workshop covers the 2nd harvest, and attendance is highly recommended. Again, contact Mrs. Irwin.

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BUDGET: PPS is covering the cost of tools and soil in the future. This year, Jeanne Nolan from an organic organization in Glencoe has offered to donate composted soil (see Appendix D). Furthermore, Mrs. Irwin and the IGSS garden coordinators this year are meeting with Cathy Pratt from North Shore Bank to discuss funding plants for future years. This year Ms. Ann Ryan (see Appendix D) is donating seedlings for the garden. USE VARIOUS FORMS OF PUBLICITY: Create a petition and use social media to spread the word about the gardens each year. This year, an article was published in the April 19th Pioneer Press. We also hung posters around the community with information on how to contact the organic garden coordinators. We attended Go Green Wilmette to notify local environmental activists of New Trier’s new progress. At the beginning of the year, please make sure to email IGSS parents about the garden, so they are aware of the work we are doing and at the end of the year, notify them of the opportunity to tend the garden. Not only do we want IGSS students to benefit from the garden, our ultimate goal is to have the community engaged as well. **NOTE: Mrs. Irwin is a very helpful resource for helping with PR. Make sure to meet with her periodically to discuss new PR opportunities--such as conventions for the teachers, an article in “Quintessential New Trier” and other magazines. She will also help develop a press release.

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DOCUMENT THE EXPERIENCE: Through the posterous website (ntorganicgarden.posterous.com) make posts on the progress of the garden, so others in the community can stay engaged with our work. Furthermore, make sure to photograph and film whenever possible. Later, share our documentation with Mrs. Irwin. With our posterous website, we could even be one of the featured Yellow Tractor Program “bloggers” to outreach our experience even outside our own community. PLANTS TO GROW: We can grow various plants that would flourish into both flowers and produce. Examples: Spinach, kale, basil, peppers, squash, tomatoes, eggplant, okra, fennel, shallots, sweet peas, herbs (mint, lavender, basil, sage, parsley, tarragon, chives, rosemary). At

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the beginning of each academic year, we choose which garden is designated for vegetable produce, flowers, and herbs. This year, Ms. Ryan has offered to provide seeds. Make sure to have a mix of seedlings and plantings (plants already growing). During the summer, we can buy plants for the garden from the farmer’s market. We are in the process of talking to Whole Foods as well to sponsor the seedlings.

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PLANT YIELD: During the summer, the yield goes to the summer workers. There are various options to distribute the yield during the year. We can donate it to New Trier cuisine classes, sell produce at the farmer’s markets (see Appendix D), or donate it to the food pantry or homeless shelters. THE FUTURE OF THE GARDEN: It is important that as the garden moves forward that we keep it engaged in the curriculum and organized to prevent a lack of maintenance. In IGSS leadership, we need individuals to take the garden on as leaders and organize summer maintenance, along with checking on the garden during leadership time. During leadership, please respond to emails sent to NTorganicgarden@gmail.com and follow a similar timeline as the one we formulated to stay on track. Please make sure to post updates on our posterous page (ntorganicgarden.posterous.com). Furthermore, the garden leaders will communicate with any New Trier classes or clubs interested in helping with maintenance. Overall, the garden leaders will organize maintenance schedule, plants grown, publicity, and administrative work for the garden. We have worked hard on the garden and want to continue its success! Good luck next year’s IGSSers! Appendix A: SUN APPROVAL

Margot, We have completed the Sun Azimuth/Elevation Study for your proposed garden site. It should receive Sun from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm each day of the growing season. We may need to bring the units slightly off from the building base (3’) but it appears that the angle of the building does not appear to interfere with the space until the late afternoon. The site is also protected from the N and W winds which can be the most damaging during summer storms. The site has received YTP Azimuth/Elevation Location approval.

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Rgds Mark Irwin

Appendix B: DRAWN PLAN FOR EAST SIDE OF GATES GYM

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Appendix C: YELLOW TRACTOR TEMPLATE

Appendix D: IMPORTANT CONTACT INFORMATION: In order to maintain the garden, it is important that IGSS leadership stays in contact with Mrs. Wendy Irwin from the Yellow Tractor Program and Mr. Neiweem from NT plant services. Make sure to discuss budgeting with Neiweem each year. If budgeting from New Trier ever becomes a problem, contact Mrs. Wendy Irwin about receiving a sponsor, such as Whole Foods. *IGSS Organic Garden Email: NTorganicgarden@gmail.com (current password: medik012) *Mrs. Wendy Irwin: wendy@yellowtractorprogram.com / cell= (847)791-7941 *Mr. Mark Irwin: cell= (847)778-1184 *Yellow Tractor Website: http://www.yellowtractorprogram.org/ *Mr. John Neiweem: neiweemj@newtrier.k12.il.us

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*Posterous Page: ntorganicgarden.posterous.com (same password and username as email) *Jeanne Nolan (woman who donates composted soil): jeannetog@gmail.com *Ms. Ann Ryan (donated seedlings): schtiv@gmail.com *Terry Deyson (contact her through Winnetka Chamber of Commerce about selling produce at farmer’s market) *Julie Newsem (contact her through Wilmette Chamber of Commerce about selling produce at farmer’s market Appendix E: CREATING A PETITION Below is a possible “blurb” used to explain the garden in an online petition. You can use Google Forms to create the petition. Make sure to make “name” and “email” required questions to “sign” the petition. Please sign the petition below if you are interested in having an organic garden at New Trier’s Winnetka Campus. With the support of the Yellow Tractor Program, a group of New Trier students are working to develop a garden that will be used to educate clubs and classes at New Trier about the art of gardening and the benefits of local food. Members in the community could also work in the garden and benefit from the yield. Appendix F: SAMPLE POSTER TO HANG IN THE COMMUNITY

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Appendix G: SUMMER MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE (use similar format for future years): The schedule listed below was originally a Google Doc that we sent out to interested summer workers. We sent out emails over the course of a month to remind them of the deadline to sign-up. We arranged the sign-up as first-come-first-serve.

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Appendix H: SUMMER WORKERS CONTACT LIST

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