(From Joe Perlaky, MVG Project Manager)

The Managing Wet Weather with Green Infrastructure planning team would like to invite you to a FREE two day workshop at the Toledo Zoo. The workshop will occur on November 5th & 6th - the first day will consist of presentations and the second will be visits to local sites. For more information, a draft agenda, and registration please click here.

View the flyer here.

Speakers were selected from academia, government entities, and private businesses. This will be a great opportunity to learn about green infrastructure from local and national experts and also network with people from our region. A continental breakfast and lunch will be provided. Please feel free to forward this to interested individuals and organizations.

Kathryn Swartz 
Conservation Associate 
American Rivers 
348 S. Erie St. 
Toledo, Ohio 43604 
(419)936-3759 voice 
(419)936-3959 fax 
kswartz@americanrivers.org
www.americanrivers.org

(From Joe Perlaky, MVG Project Manager)

The Academy Greenhouse Project, funded in part by a $10,000 BP grant continues to evolve. As the school prepares for its own campus greenhouse, the Academy students, with the help of Joe Perlaky, have formed a partnership with the Maumee Valley Growers Association. This partnership led to a service commitment with Bittersweet Farms where the Academy students have been spending time weekly to learn about growing fresh produce.

Each week, a small group of 7th and 8th grade boys join the Horticulture manager, Elliott, to harvest food, pile up bails of hay, and prepare the harvested crops for the market. This knowledge will be beneficial when the boys plant their own foods in the Academy greenhouse. In addition, the produce grown at the Academy greenhouse will be harvested and distributed to local food banks. "The greenhouse is an educational model - everything you need to learn about life, energy, culture, math and science can be taught in the greenhouse. Combined with a service component, the greenhouse becomes a tangible model of everything St. John’s is about as a Jesuit educational institution," said Academy Principal Chris Knight. "We are really grateful to the Maumee Valley Growers for helping us to learn more about how to create and maintain a greenhouse."

(From Joe Perlaky, MVG Project Manager)

Here is a list of our new MVGA Board Members and Committee members. Every September we rotate 3 members (13 on the Board altogether). Here is a file describing our committees. Please review. If you are interested in participating on any of the committees let me know. Membership & Finance is in greatest need. Call me and I’ll let you know how often they meet since each one is different. Some only meet a couple times a year.

Finally, many of you are starting to remove the poly for our houses. A couple of choices here:

First, save the better and larger panels so you can use them as dividers between the ranges or the hoop houses. A double wall installation using the pipe supports (poly on each side of the pipe) works great as a double insulator as you gradually open each house/range in the spring. Many times you can roll the poly up, strap it and have it ready for the following year. This operational consideration was one of the best low/no cost savings a grower can do to same on their heating costs. Another efficiency consideration (when practical) is to ideally use the middle of a range first in those early Jan & Feb months. It is much less vulnerable to outside cold temperatures and wind.

Second, if you want to recycle the film, call Bill Sturtevant at Findlay Foam at (419) 350-7128. They can be at your facility when the film comes down and immediately put it on their truck (this avoids much of dirt challenges). If this is not practical, fold neatly, bundle on a pallet and you can take it to their facility at 2851 South Ave. (near Western) when you have a chance.

(From Joe Perlaky, MVG Project Manager)

Click here to view the article.

(From Joe Perlaky, MVG Project Manager)

Click here to view MVG's Master Gardener Fall Planting Video. This program is a partnership with the Bowling Green Sentinel and area Master Gardeners.