Garden in a Box
Network Supports School Gardens
As there is a growing push to include more local and fresh fruits and vegetables in school lunches, school gardens have become much more common, including here in Minnesota and through the hort society’s Garden-in-a-Box program. However, schools struggle to secure funding and interest to keep gardens growing. The School Garden Support Organization Network (SGSO)…
Read MoreOur Garden Outreach Programs Stepped Up in 2020
This article by MSHS Community Outreach Manager Courtney Tchida originally appeared in the January/February 2021 issue of Northern Gardener. Year in Review: Garden-in-a-Box and Minnesota Green Covid-19 may have shut down schools and local businesses, but it certainly didn’t stop our program participants from growing. We were inspired to dig even deeper—finding ways to continue…
Read MoreGarden-in-a-Box Fosters Horticultural Therapy
This article by Courtney Tchida originally appeared in the November/December 2020 issue of Northern Gardener. The benefits of gardening are many, including to our physical and mental health. We were frequently reminded of the relaxation and stress-relief gardening provides this year as we planted, weeded, watered and harvested through a pandemic. Time spent in the…
Read More2019 Was a Great Season for Garden-in-a-Box
This article by Maria Brosofske appears in the November/December 2019 issue of Northern Gardener. In 2019, the MSHS Garden-in-a-Box (GIAB) program distributed a whopping 545 gardening kits throughout Minnesota! MSHS worked with more than 75 participating groups: 58 percent of these groups were located in the Twin Cities metropolitan area, 24 percent were based in…
Read MoreHealing with Gardens at Merritt House
In Virginia, Minnesota, is a place of healing known as Merritt House. A part of Range Mental Health Center, it offers intensive residential treatment to those who need a more restrictive living situation. The program at Merritt House is designed to develop and enhance psychiatric stability, personal and emotional adjustment, self-sufficiency and skills to live…
Read MoreMeet Maria: New Garden-in-a-Box Coordinator
MSHS is pleased to welcome Maria Brosofske as the new coordinator of the MSHS Garden-in-a-Box (GIAB) program. Maria has a bachelor’s degree in agriculture and design from the University of Minnesota, and for the past 10 years has worked as a floral designer. She’s had a passion for plants, art and gardening from an early…
Read MoreSpotlight: Garden in a Box in Chisago County
This article by Brenda Harvieux originally appeared in the January/February 2019 issue of Northern Gardener. After interviewing Sue Humble, the Chisago County Master Gardener program coordinator, in 2017 about their community garden in North Branch, I learned that they do garden programming for children, too, and suggested they check out MSHS’ Garden-in-a-Box program. They joined…
Read MoreSpotlight: Renewing the Countryside Garden in a Box
This article originally appeared in the January/February 2018 issue of Northern Gardener. If you are interested in the Garden in a Box program, contact author Sam Johnson at MSHS. If you’re like me and had two working parents growing up, you often spent time at a neighbor’s with all of the local kids in a…
Read MoreSpring Garden Gala 2017!
Come on out and join us at the Minnesota State Horticultural Society’s fundraising event of the year! This year, we have a new venue and a new emcee, but the same over-the-top plant show, delicious food and fun prizes for northern gardeners. This year’s Spring Garden Gala will be held on Saturday, April 1 at…
Read MoreSpotlight: Bemidji Food Shelf Gardens
This article originally appeared in the January/February 2017 issue of Northern Gardener. In 2013, the Bemidji Community Food Shelf (BCFS) needed more fresh fruits and vegetables for its clients, so supporters took matters into their own hands. In collaboration with community partners, they started a farm with three goals: Provide high quality, fresh produce for…
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