I recently wrote a front-page story about the trend of growing your own food and a related “Growing Groceries Mentor Training,” which kicked off Jan. 24 in Everett.
Though I was pretty sure the new vegetable gardener training, also known as a “Train the Trainers” workshop, would be a cool endeavor, it faced challenges, including a $35 initial admission.
It was also pulled together on exceptionally short notice and had the goal of teaching gardeners of all sorts, including rookies, how to garden for food now so that they could go out and teach even more people to garden with food throughout 2009.
That’s ambitious.
I, however, have good news.
I just heard from Master Gardener Monica Novini, one of the organizers, who reported a great turnout, nearly 60 attendees.
Below are excerpts of Novini’s jubilant thoughts on the occasion. If you couldn’t make the first class, it’s not too late to join up for the training, which continues through October. Also, if you don’t have time for a monthly class series in your schedule, there will be a one-day Growing Groceries Expo Saturday, Jan. 31, to school wannabe gardeners.
Get details on that and the mentor training here. And, now, here’s Monica Novini, a Snohomish County Master Gardener.
The “Train the Trainers” Training was a smashing success! We were hoping for maybe 30-35 people. 59 people were there, many sitting in the back without tables. (Teacher) Holly (Kennell) was awesome!! The room was awash with learning, enthusiasm flowed thru the place, groups gathered to find appropriate outlets for this knowledge. What a GREAT bunch of people!!
We as a group are making a difference in this world. In this crazy time, we are empowering people be teaching them how to feed themselves. You know what they say, “Give a man a zucchini, feed him a meal. Teach him to grow zucchini, he can feed the neighborhood.” Well, ok, so that’s how I say it but imagine the impact we are having. Many people from the group are going to go out into communities, school gardens and community gardens and give people hand-on training for all aspects of food gardening.
We will never know the full impact of our actions. We won’t know how many people were able to stretch their money a little further because they now know how to grow some of their own food. We won’t learn about all the kids whose lives are changed because someone spent time with them in a garden and had a conversation that made them feel special. We won’t hear about the people whose health was improved by eating fresh, organic, nutritious produce grown locally either by them or from a community or food bank garden. We won’t be able to measure the benefit everyone gets from spending time in the dirt, learning where food REALLY comes from and getting back in touch with nature.
Just think, there were 59 of us. If each of us touches 10 lives, that is almost 600 people whose lives will be changed. Each of them then has an affect on others. It is like a ripple on a pond, ever increasing. And that was just the first class!! It IS possible to make a positive difference in this world and we are doing just that!
Growing Groceries is the brain child of Sharon Collman (WSU Extension Snohomish County). Look what she started!! Along with EVERYTHING else she does for us. She had a dream. She spoke life into it by sharing her dream. Enthusiasm has been outrageous and contagious. It seems that this is an idea whose time is here now. I am proud to be a part of the Growing Groceries Project. Thank you, Sharon. You are awesome!!! — Monica Novini, Snohomish County Master Gardener
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