NJ Farm to School Network

This group works to improve school food, promote locally grown produce and educate through school gardens. Directed by Beth Feehan, the 501c3 gathers leaders in the field: Dorothy Mullen, master gardener and co-founder of the Princeton School Gardens Cooperative; Gary Giberson, of Sustainable Fare and executive chef at Lawrenceville School; Lisanne Finston, executive director of Elijah's Promise in New Brunswick; Sal Valenza, food service director of West New York, NJ, school district, and Meredith Taylor, director of urban agriculture and environmental education, at Isles, in Trenton. For more information, visit the website, http://www.njfarmtoschool.org.

Meet our coordinator

Lee Yonish, a Princeton Regional Schools parent and data management specialist, has joined the Princeton School Gardens Cooperative as coordinator. She writes:

I believe that several roads have led to this juncture: my enchantment with folks like Michael Pollan and love for “real food,” my desire to work in the non-profit sector (evidenced by my completion of two noncredit courses last year in Mercer County
Community College’s Nonprofit Management Program), my hope to work among and contribute to our
community, and most of all my dismay with children’s food choices and inadequate food options at
school.

Please join us in celebrating this move forward. And if you need to reach her, write leeyonish@psgcoop.org.

 

 

 

March 31, 2011. The Princeton School Gardens Cooperative seeks an energetic, nimble, reliable and meticulous coordinator/administrator.

Duties of this position include: 

  • Financial: Work with the board and volunteers to effectively use resources. Ensure that comprehensive documentation is maintained.
  • Management: Assume administrative and logistics responsibility for day-to-day projects and special events. Maintain task lists and follow up with board members on progress. Establish and maintain records and databases. Ensure that financial and legal obligations of the cooperative are met.
  • Board Relations: Attend all regularly scheduled board meetings, and provide support and materials for them. Record minutes.
  • Community Relations: Coordinate all work and expansion efforts for all PSGC-related projects of students, teachers and community members; help with volunteer recruitment, development and recognition. Provide regular reports to board.

The programs coordinator reports to the board chair. The part-time/flex-time position pays $12,000 (about $30 per hour at about 10 hours a week) and roughly matches the 10-month school year – though there will be two summertime meetings and coordination of a few gardening/cleanup chores required. 

Skills Desired: Self-starter, ability to multi-task, meet challenges with energy and enthusiasm, motivate and supervise a team of active volunteers. Strong communication skills.

Please send resumés and cover letters to karlacook@psgcoop.org

*The Princeton School Gardens Cooperative, a 501c3, fosters garden- and food-based education in the classroom, cafeteria and community.


Give peas a chance

Mike McGrath, host of "You Bet Your Garden," on WHYY and former editor of Organic Gardening magazine, reminds us that Thursday, March 17 is the day to plant peas. But as with most gardening projects, there's a bit of preparation to be done ahead of time. To give peas a chance in Princeton, here are his tips: http://www.whyy.org/91FM/ybyg/plantingpeas.html.