The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced last week that it will award $1 million in grants for eligible high-poverty schools to start community gardens.

The goal: to teach students about gardening and nutrition and to provide fresh produce for school meals. Some of the harvest may also be given to students' families, as well as to local food banks and senior-center nutrition programs according to the USDA announcement. (www.fns.usda.gov…

Fiskars garden tools and materials such as plants, seeds, mulch, etc. to eligible gardening groups. Maximum award: $1,000 in implements and materials. Eligibility: gardens and/or gardening projects geared toward community involvement, neighborhood beautification, horticultural education, and/or sustainable agriculture.

Deadline: February 19, 2010.
http://www.fiskars.com/content/garden_en_us/Garden/ProjectOrangeThumb/grantprogram

Mrs. Obama harvested the first crop of fruits and vegetables from the The White House by establishing an organic garden on the South Lawn not long after moving to Washington.

Surrounded by participating elementary school children, Obama spoke about her pride in the project, and the immense value of the lessons learned. “We can continue to make the connection between what we eat and how we feel, and how healthy we are,” she said, before encourag…