 |
|
TV personality Graham Kerr, best known
for his cooking show, “The Galloping Gourmet.” (Photo courtesy of Graham Kerr) |
EVERETT, Wash. – Graham Kerr – TV’s Galloping Gourmet, area resident and supporter of community/food bank gardening – will be a featured speaker during volunteer garden mentor training sponsored by Washington State University Snohomish County Extension.
The deadline to sign up for the Growing Groceries mentor training is Friday, Feb. 1. Tuition is $135 for those who volunteer at least 35 hours over the next year or $185 for those who don’t; see http://growinggroceries.wsu.edu/
Classroom training will be 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Saturdays, Feb. 9, 23, March 9 and 23, at Cougar Auditorium in McCollum Park, 600 128th St. SE, Everett. In addition, there will be four hands-on, in-the-garden sessions 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on April 20, May 18, June 15 and July 20; locations will be announced.
The Growing Groceries program’s goal is to increase community access to fresh, healthy food by training volunteer mentors to share their food-growing knowledge with others. Teachers can earn up to 32 Northwest Educational Service District 189 clock hours by completing the training.
In addition to Kerr, local and regional experts will share the latest research-based practices on topics such as choosing a site, building healthy soil, starting from seed, composting, irrigating, managing pests, vertical and small space gardening, food safety and more.
“The idea of training mentors to help backyard edible gardeners is a wonderful example of the Great American Ethic in operation,” Kerr said. “When our pioneer forefathers arrived, they brought with them not only their heirloom seeds from the ‘old country,’ but also a keen awareness that they would have to look out for one another – or fail. We still need each other to pass on the skills upon which this nation is based.” See a related Seattle Times article about Kerr at http://seattletimes.com/html/pacificnw/2014177291_pacificptaste20.html
For more information about the program, contact Sharon Collman, WSU Snohomish County Extension Educator, 425-357-6025 or collmans@wsu.edu. For registration information, contact Karie Christensen at 425-357-6039 or christensen4@wsu.edu.