Seward Co-op CSA Fair, youth garden benefit 4/19
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Fair
Sat., April 19, 11 a.m.–3 p.m.
Seward Co-op
2111 E. Franklin Ave.
The seventh annual Seward Co-op CSA Fair puts produce shoppers in touch with more than 20 local growers, from whom they can purchase shares of a variety of fresh local foods. Deliveries are made weekly during the growing season to Seward Co-op and other Twin Cities locations. Call 338-2465 for more information.
For years, children participating in the Seward Youth Peace Garden have gathered on Fridays outside the Birchwood Café, 3311 E. 25th St., to sell the produce they’ve grown. This year, following the financial collapse of Seward Neighborhood Group (SNG), which had supported the garden through grants in the past, funding for the program is uncertain.
In response, the Birchwood will host a bake-sale fundraiser on April 19, as part of the Seward Co-op Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) Fair (see details here). The event is just one of several efforts being made to help the program. including a seed and seedling sale at the café (with the seeds and young plants provided by Mother Earth Gardens at cost) and a general collection jar at the Birchwood.
Although it was previously thought that Peace Garden funding still existed through a multi-year McKnight Foundation grant, SNG Treasurer Dianne Anders reported at the March SNG board meeting that the grant had expired, and that there was “no funding at the moment for the Peace Garden.”
You may also help fund the Seward Youth Peace Garden by donating through the Seward Neighborhood Group website
last revised: April 17, 2008
Thank you for the story on the benefit for the Peace Garden project. The Peace Garden has been an important program in Seward for years. Because of the generosity of neighborhood businesses, Seward Neighborhood Group almost has the money needed to run the program this summer without a foundation grant. I hope that there will be enough support for the program on the 19th to push the fund raising over the top.
However, the reason for lack of grant funding this year is a little more complicated than indicated in the story. The grant application provided to last year’s board was for a three year grant. However, the past Executive Director of SNG failed to tell the board or the staff of the Peace Garden that the grant was changed to a one year grant. We only found out about that change because of Diann’s research early this spring.
Sheldon Mains
Chair, Seward Neighborhood Group