V is for Virginia School Gardens

A reminder to encourage your school garden project to register with the State Fair for the V is for Virginia School Gardens competition.  I know this year was brutal for many gardens but the emphasis is on education, so doing a display on the effect of the drought on the garden is a great learning opportunity.  Container gardens are eligible, butterfly gardens, berry gardens. The point is to jump in and enter, not having the perfect display.  4-H people are the judges and will be looking for the educational/experiential learning effort, not perfect produce.

Along with enrolling with 4-H, the schools must register with the state fair under youth crops.  Go to the fair site http://www.statefair.com/competitions or follow the hyperlinks.

Youth Crops & Vegetables Entry Form

Competition Guide

"V" is for "Virginia School Gardens"   

Put V is for Virginia School Gardens under descriptions and check “crops and vegetables”

The State Fair has given 4-H an incredibly nice spot to display their entries and supply the ribbons.  School gardens are all over the strategic plan and a great interdisciplinary project, everywhere from nutrition to production agriculture to leadership to expressive arts to STEM.

If your school is on the other side of the state and getting the display here is an issue, call me.  I am only a stone’s throw away from the fair.

Deadline for Entry Forms Sept. 10

E-mail Rita J. Schalk if you have questions: rjschalk@vt.edu