There is no doubt that school gardens are beneficial for children, their families, and their communities. School gardens increase physical activity, food literacy, self-esteem, connection to community through volunteerism, increased food access, and a sense of pride and accomplishment. But when teachers are already tight on time when it comes to planning their year, week, and day, the idea of integrating a whole new curriculum can be daunting and time consuming. Next Steps: There are a few approaches to alleviating these curriculum stressors that the WCG School Garden Program is currently working on: 1. Deconstruct the WCG curriculum so that it is not a single year-long, 400-page document, but instead single lesson plans, searchable by curriculum standards. 2. Bring more volunteers into the classroom! Find parents, volunteers, and master gardeners who have the time to dedicate to going into a classroom once a week or twice a month for a...
In the past, WCG offered limited support to school gardens on school grounds and provided teachers with year-long, garden-based curriculum on our website. In August 2014, however, WCG hired Liz Pedersen to take a close look at needs unique to school gardens. So far, Liz has approached revamping WCG’s School Garden Program by identifying community allies, gathering information, and coordinating meetings between stakeholders already supporting school gardens. She also asked teachers what they would like to see in a school gardening program and what resources they would need to successfully integrate gardening into curriculum. Here are some key results from Liz’s initial research: This knowledge gap can act as a barrier, keeping teachers from participating in the garden with their classes. The refrain, “I don’t want to go out and work in the garden, what if I pull out a tomato plant thinking it’s a weed!” was repeated all too frequently.... 
Dear Friends of Wasatch Community Gardens, Wasatch Community Gardens would like to take this opportunity to educate our supporters about Salt Lake County Proposal #1: Zoo, Arts, and Parks (ZAP) tax renewal. The mission of the ZAP Program is to enhance Salt Lake County resident and visitor experiences through art, cultural, and recreational offerings. ZAP is a two-time voter approved 1/10th of 1% sales tax that was first supported by Salt Lake County voters in 1996 and renewed in 2004 that helps support and enhance our local Zoo, Arts and Parks and Recreation throughout Salt Lake County. Voters now have the opportunity to renew this program (with no increase) as County Proposal #1, on the last page of the ballot.
Who Receives ZAP Funding?
Along with more than 30 parks, trails and recreational facilities and over 160 arts, cultural, and zoological organizations, Wasatch Community Gardens is a recipient of ZAP... 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 29, 2014 Contact: Kate Lohnes 801-535-7755 Salt Lake City and Wasatch Community Gardens to Host Community Gardening Open Houses SALT LAKE CITY – The Salt Lake City Division of Sustainability, in partnership with Wasatch Community Gardens, will host a community garden open houses on Thursday, October 2 from 5-7:30 p.m. and Saturday, October 18 from 10 a.m. –noon on the first floor of the Salt Lake City & County Building, 451 S. State Street. The public is invited to come and learn about parcels of City-owned and operated land now available for the development of community gardens. Information about the Green City Growers application process and available resources will also be provided. Six designated parcels have been identified for community garden access. Residents are encouraged to review the available parcels on SLCgreen.com and, if interested, to complete an application for the organization and creation of a... 
Whenever I decide to do the "Eat Local Challenge", I quickly become intimidated by the resources online that suggest recipes like "Herbaceous Goat Cheese and Peaches". I mean, it sounds wonderful, but I just don't live like that.
I live in a world where I am grabbing a PBJ after work before I quickly run out the door to go for a hike or mountain bike ride. Or inhale some chips and salsa as I am throwing some beers in my bag for an evening chilling with some friends.
In other words, I don't cook. Or really sit down to eat. I'm sorry, but that is just how I am.
So, in the past, I have failed at the eat local challenge, because I make it one day and then... 
What a great year so far for WCG Youth Programs! The growing season is only half over, and just look how much we’ve accomplished so far! For starters, Youth Educators have currently served well over 800 youth participants this year! This number does not include our current summer City Roots classes or City Sprouts summer camps yet-to-be-hosted, we’ll be well into three-digit territory by the end of August. Congratulations to Youth Educators Shannon Kennelly, Katie Adamski, and Emma Kroon Van Diest for their hard work, passion, and dedication to their work! Accomplishments: WCG Youth Programs have worked closely with volunteers, businesses, and community groups to maintain and make significant upgrades to our teaching facilities at the Grateful Tomato Garden and Fair Parks Community Garden. A few highlights from 2014 include: Installing a white, weatherproof metal roof over our main teaching patio to repel rain during shoulder seasons and reflect sun during... 
Photo by Kim Raff
Written by Mike Lynch, WCG Community Education Program Director
A few weeks ago, I participated in my first Farm Mob with Slow Food Utah and Real Food Rising at Sandhill Farms. I was imagining an Orwellian kind of affair with Marxist animals. Instead, the mob consisted of about a dozen high-school-aged kids from Real Food Rising, and about fifteen more people of all ages who were connected to WCG, Slow Food, or Sandhill Farms. Aside: Real Food Rising runs Farm Mobs most every weekend with a group of high-school age kids who will boost your faith in the future of America. These kids are driven, focused, and put me to shame with their work ethic. It’s a real inspiration to work with the Real Food Rising crew. Sandhill Farms is tucked into the mountains of northern Utah. Here, Pete Rasmussen cultivates a wide variety of... 
The culture of service and volunteerism in Utah is part of what makes our state so unique. Individuals throughout the state feel a deep desire to reach out to their neighbors and communities in both religious and non - religious capacities. (Source: Utah Commission on Volunteerism) Research in 2012 by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) through the Volunteering in America 2012 report ranks Utah as the #1 volunteering state in the nation with 40.9 % of adults volunteering. This volunteering rate is significantly above the national average of 26.8%. (Source: Utah Commission on Volunteerism) On average, Utah’s volunteers dedicate 144 million hours of service per year, which is equivalent to 69,000 full - time employees with an estimated economic contribution of $3.7 billion annually. (Source: Utah Commission on Volunteerism) Wasatch Community Gardens is happy to contribute to these numbers. In 2013, we had over 700 volunteers...