Growing Greener Grant: What's it all Mean? By Louise Smith Maysie's Farm Conservation Center has received a Growing Greener Grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. This two-year grant allows us to expand our existing educational programs to emphasize nonpoint source pollution and the role that conventional agricultural and chemical lawn care practices play in creating it. Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution is pollution that comes from a variety of little sources, as opposed to point source pollution which comes from one large, identifiable source such as a factory's smokestack. Examples of NPS pollution are automobile exhausts or runoff from lawns and fields that can disrupt the ecosystem. We hope to encourage the adoption of sustainable agricultural and lawn care practices that will decrease the amount of NPS pollution and therefore benefit the watersheds in our region. We'll inform consumers about the changes they can make in their food buying habits and grounds keeping practices and encourage them to adopt the less polluting alternatives. Additionally, we'll demonstrate to new and existing farmers that progressive organic farms can be sustainable both ecologically and economically. We've already begun to emphasize nonpoint source pollution to our CSA members by launching our "Natural Lawn Campaign." While our initial survey indicates that many of our members already employ exemplary lawn care practices, we intend to educate our membership about eliminating chemical use, increasing composting and utilizing native species. We will measure the practices used during the CSA seasons in the next two years through members' surveys. In addition we will offer a series of interactional on-farm workshops and volunteer workdays where individuals will learn about non-polluting agricultural practices such as compost building, crop rotation, and covercropping. Maysie's Farm will also conduct a "Natural Food" Pledge Campaign with the CSA members to encourage them to eat other locally produced, organic foods in addition to the vegetables they receive from our CSA. We'll stress the differences between the practices of small farms raising pastured livestock or organic fruits and grains and those of conventional farms, and will make members aware of food sources that do not contribute to NPS pollution. We will measure the eating practices of our members during the CSA seasons in the next two years by members' surveys. As part of this initiative, we will present a series of interactional workshops on cooking and preserving high quality foods, so that consumer demand for organically produced foods will continue to grow in our region. Maysie's Farm is also committed to educating young people through our school and youth programs and the community at large through our outreach programs. We'll emphasize NPS pollution management in the curriculum we present to each of our partnering schools and involve students in hands-on demonstrations of the differences between organically managed soils and conventionally treated soils. Our intern education program will emphasize the agricultural practices that create NPS pollution and the alternatives to them. Additionally we'll dedicate a section of our website to education on agricultural and suburban home NPS pollution management. Finally, we plan on developing new partnerships with several local schools and a large community sports complex to educate them about NPS pollution management and alternatives to their present methods of grounds keeping. Future articles in this newsletter will further discuss nonpoint source pollution, its causes, and strategies for reducing this problem. Also, look at the bulletin board in the barn for information on NPS pollution, our local watershed, natural lawn care, building healthy soil, composting, covercropping, rotating crops, gardening with natural insect control methods, and the many benefits of eating local, organically produced foods. As a part of our Community Lecture Series and to supplement our Natural Lawn Campaign, we are hosting Brian Jones, President of Natural Gardens and Lawns, Inc. at West Chester University on Thursday, October 25th at 7 p.m. He has developed a process to create beautiful soil and turf naturally as an alternative to chemically based programs. He also co-founded the Sunfire Institute, which promotes a natural/organic approach to land care and design. Come and learn how you can implement these changes in your own back yard! See our poster insert for more details, and our website for directions.

Children's Workshop Several of the children who attended the Children's Workshops were inspired to write about their experiences. My Mama, my sister Joanna, and I went to Maysie's Farm for an organic gardening workshop especially for children. While we were there, we each picked a carrot. Then we sat under a tree and played a game, which I enjoyed. When the game was over I munched on my carrot. I had fun planting seeds as well as transplanting plants from the greenhouse. The thing I liked the most was making lunch. I went with Mama, Joanna, and Mrs. Lawless to pick tomatoes and peppers. When we got back, Joanna and I thoroughly washed them along with some carrots that other children had picked. I put some carrots on the table for Mama to chop. Then we mixed the salad together. While we were making the salad, others were making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Then we sat down to eat. The salad tasted so good because it was fresh from the garden. I really enjoyed being at Maysie's Farm! -Evangeline Schwandt, age 9 I had a great day at the organic gardening workshop for younger children. I enjoyed planting seeds and transplanting the zucchini plants. It was fun digging a hole in the soil, removing the plant from the pot, placing it in the soil and carefully covering it up to its neck. I also liked watching the bees do their work in the sunflower house. What I really enjoyed the most was harvesting tomatoes and peppers!! What a great day I had! - Joanna Schwandt, age 7 On Thursday, the 2nd of August, my brother Enoch and I went to an organic gardening workshop at Maysie's Farm. We did many different things, but I will tell only of my favorites, for, were I to tell of all we did, it would fill a small book. I particularly liked digging purple potatoes, during which I unearthed a very large one that was unusually shaped at one end. Another thing I liked was preparing our dinner using vegetables we had just harvested. I had fun at Maysie's Farm. -Erica Schwandt, age 13 I thoroughly enjoyed going to Maysie's Farm. First we sat in a circle and said our name and one of our favorite vegetables; it was fun. Then we walked to the compost pile. After that we planted zucchini seeds and watered them. Then we transplanted zucchini and cucumber plants; it was fun. After that, we picked vegetables for our lunch, which we cleaned and used to make salad and potato salad. When we were done eating, we went on a scavenger hunt. But my favorite part is watching the plant push thru the soil. It's a wonderful work of God! - Enoch Schwandt, age 11