The Environmental Center

Garden Educator Network Winter Meet Up
2018-02-06 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Successful school gardens require well-informed educators that can learn from and support each other. That’s why we launched the Central Oregon Garden Educators Network last fall. We will expand and sustain our Network to provide regular training, networking events for peer-to-peer learning, problem-solving, resource sharing; and garden tours. Email denise to get added to the email list to stay in the loop about Garden Educator Network gatherings.
On February 6th, from 4:30 – 6:30, we’ll gather at St. Francis School to get inspired by the weekly garden experiences through the winter, connect and share resources. Specific topics to be decide before the meeting.
The Garden Educator Network is for anyone – teachers, parents, volunteers, non-formal educators – in Central Oregon wanting to incorporate garden based learning into their work with youth. We are now officially the Central Oregon Regional Hub for school gardens. This is one of our four part strategy to support a Garden For Every School in Central Oregon.

Propagate: a seed swap + tiny popup shop
2018-03-31 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Bring your saved and extra seed to swap with other gardeners in town! This is a free event.
Please be prepared to bring envelopes and/or bags to take your seed home in. This is a great opportunity to meet and connect with other gardeners/farmers in town to share stories, info, skills, etc.

Spring Garden Work Party
2018-04-07 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Join us in our Kansas Ave. Learning Garden to kick off another growing season! This is a volunteer opportunity to lend a hand and dig in the dirt as we prepare our garden for spring.
Please swing by any time between 9am – 12pm. Family friendly, and tools will be provided.

Spring Farm & Food Faire
2018-04-14 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
The Central Oregon Community College (COCC) Sustainability Committee, in partnership with Central Oregon Locavore and the High Desert Food & Farm Alliance, is hosting the 3rd annual Spring Farm & Food Faire on Saturday, April 14, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Coats Campus Center in Bend. Rain or shine, this event is free and open to the public.
The Spring Farm & Food Faire is an opportunity to browse, taste, and talk about local food. Purchase early-season crops, eggs, meats, seed starts, or sign up for community-supported agriculture (CSA) and herdshare memberships from more than a dozen area farms and ranches. The faire also serves as ​a place to learn about farm dinners, events, and volunteer opportunities scheduled throughout the year.
“The Spring Farm and Food Faire is opportunity to meet the amazing people responsible for growing food here in Central Oregon,” said event coordinator Owen Murphy. “The faire provides an indoor space for local farmers, ranchers, and producers to show their wares and connect with community members well before regional farmers markets start up in June.”
The COCC Sustainability Committee promotes sustainability education and practices among campus students, faculty, and staff. Central Oregon Locavore is a Bend non-profit that supports local food and farms through educational programs and a year-round indoor farmer’s market. High Desert Food & Farm Alliance’s objective is to support a community-based food system with access to fresh healthy food and sustainable farmland use.

Western Monarch and Pollinator Spring Migration Celebration
2018-05-05 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
The Monarch butterfly is vulnerable. There were an estimated one billion North American Monarchs twenty years ago. Today there are about 33 million. But their decline is only part of this compelling story. The Western Monarch—our Monarch butterfly—has seen a much greater population decline; yet dedicated study on their dwindling numbers only began in 2012.
Why is this significant? Because their story is an indicator of total pollinator decline which means our entire food chain is in peril. Fortunately, citizen scientists are making a meaningful difference in helping experts understand the underlying problems. The key to developing a citizen scientist network is education. Students can and are becoming engaged citizen scientists. The study of pollinators like the Monarch butterfly can get kids excited about learning.
We’ve seen this at Sisters Middle School and we want to share our success with you. That’s why we urge you to attend our free Western Monarch and Pollinator Spring Migration Celebration on May 5, 2018. See below.
9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Southern Oregon Monarch Advocates is hosting a pre-conference round-table discussion where everyone may share their stories of success in helping Monarchs and pollinators in their area.
1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Main Conference includes the following program:

Keynote speaker: Entomologist Dr. David James of Washington State University, founder of the Western Monarch tagging and tracking program will bring us all up to date.
Featured speaker: Robert Coffan, of Southern Oregon Monarch Advocates is part of a team that is currently performing the largest single monarch habitat restoration project in the western United States! As SOMA co-founder, Robert will share just why and how they are doing it.
Special guest and MC: Sisters Middle School Special Education teacher Susie Werts, used Monarch butter-flies to enhance student reading and writing skills while rearing monarch caterpillars and releasing tagged Mon-arch butterflies. Teacher Werts some of what she has learned.
Featured video: Journey’s Flight, The Video Storybook, produced by Angela Street. Angela captured the essence of the book Journey’s Flight, written by Sisters Middle School students into a delightful short video with music and student art.

Central Oregon Veterans Ranch Spring Plant Sale
2018-05-19 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Choose from a variety of flowers and vegetables, all locally grown in Bend by veterans. Stay and enjoy a tour of the property and a BBQ lunch!

Cauliflower
Kale
Sweet Peppers
Jalapenos
Tomatoes
Corn
Strawberries
Basil
Lettuce
Microgreens
Cucumbers
Zucchini
Alyssum
Petunias
Cosmos
Calendula

Garden Educator Network Meeting
2018-06-04 16:30 - 18:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Three Rivers Elementary School, 56900 Enterprise Dr, Sunriver, OR, 97707, United States
Please join us at Three Rivers School in Sunriver for an end of year Regional Gathering for farm and garden based educators in Central Oregon. The purpose of the Gathering is to share resources, provide networking opportunities, and address region-specific challenges. Our focus for this June event is to share what you have been up to in your school garden projects this spring, as well as your plans for (or questions about) summer maintenance. Plus, we will hear from the Three Rivers Wellness Committee and see their new small indoor garden made out of shopping carts!
The Environmental Center has taken on a new role as Regional Education Hub Lead for the Oregon Farm to School and School Garden Network for Central Oregon. In this role, we’ll provide region specific resources and ongoing responsive technical assistance, work to address region-specific challenges and networking opportunities including Regional Gatherings. For questions or support contact Denise Rowcroft, denise@envirocenter.org, 541-385-6908 x14

Happy Hour in the Garden
2018-06-05, 2018-06-12, 2018-06-26, 2019-05-07, 2019-05-14, 2019-05-21, 2019-05-28, 2019-06-04 and 4 more dates | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
This year, Happy Hour in the Garden will run from March through October. Instead of weekly, this volunteer event will be on the *1st & 3rd Tuesdays*, kicking off Tuesday, March 1st. Stop by anytime between 4-6 on the following dates to help out in the garden and enjoy a bubbly beverage. Family friendly, no experience or tools necessary.
Contact Denise Rowcroft, Garden Program Manager, if you have any questions about getting involved.

March 1 & 15 (March & April beer sponsored by Worthy Garden Club)
April 5 & 19
May 3 & 17 (May & June beer sponsored by Boneyard Beer)
June 7 & 21

Due to summer trips, please note that summer dates (July & August) are the 2nd & 4th Tuesdays of the month!

July 12 & 26 (July & August beer sponsored by Deschutes Brewery)
*August 9 & 23* (Note, this is the 2nd & 4th Tuesday, rescheduled due to planned time off)
September 6 & 20 (Sept & Oct beer sponsored by 10 Barrel Brewing Co)
October 4 & 18

Special Kick-Off Event: Happy Hour in the Garden
2018-06-19 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
School is out, but gardens are still growing! So we’re throwing an extra special Happy Hour in the Garden to kick off our summer fundraising campaign. It’s time to replenish our School Garden Grant fund so that MORE local kids can get outside and reap the benefits of learning in a garden. Our goal is to raise $7,500 from donors by July 27th.
Volunteer for an hour or two (fun, easy gardening tasks), and we’ll provide cold beverages from Boneyard Beer & Caboost Kombucha, snacks courtesy of Whole Foods Market, and live music from Amy Bathen. Denise and other local educators will be in the garden to share success stories of school gardens throughout the region, and what we have planned for the future.
Show your support for garden-based learning throughout Central Oregon! Learn more here.
*Happy Hour in the Garden is every Tuesday from 4-6 pm, May through August. Each week, volunteers drop in and help maintain the garden through weekly tasks and/or special projects. No experience necessary, families welcome.

Jackson's Corner (West) 10% Give-back Day
2018-06-28 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Eat local food, support local school gardens! Here’s a great excuse to enjoy a delicious meal at Jackson’s Corner this summer.
On…
Thursday, June 28th (West)
Thursday, July 19th (East)
… 10% of your purchase will be donated to The Environmental Center to facilitate MORE school gardens in Central Oregon.
Show your support for garden education in our local communities! The money raised during these two give-back events will help us provide schools with garden grants, technical expertise through a FoodCorps service member, and will strengthen our garden educator network.
Learn more here: http://envirocenter.org/schoolgardens
See you there!

Jackson's Corner (East) 10% Give-back Day
2018-07-19 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Eat local food, support local school gardens! Here’s a great excuse to enjoy a delicious meal at Jackson’s Corner this summer.
On Thursday, July 19th 10% of your purchase at the East location will be donated to The Environmental Center to facilitate MORE school gardens in Central Oregon.
Show your support for garden education in our local communities! The money raised during these two give-back events will help us provide schools with garden grants, technical expertise through a FoodCorps service member, and will strengthen our garden educator network.
Learn more here: http://envirocenter.org/schoolgardens
See you there!

Whole Foods 5% Day
2018-07-26 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Mark your calendars to shop at Whole Foods Market on October 17th to support school gardens across Oregon! Whole Foods has designated the Oregon Farm to School & School Garden Network as the beneficiary for 5% of sales at ALL stores in Oregon on October 17th! As the Central Oregon Regional School Garden Education Hub, we are excited to support this statewide community giving. Funds they raise will go towards putting on the 2020 Oregon Farm to School and School Garden Conference, (which our staff plan to attend) and supporting the work of regional hubs – that’s us!
Multiple times a year we gather local garden educators and teachers wishing to incorporate garden based education into their work with youth. OFSSGN has funding to support 1 regional gathering a year, but we work to bring educators together in different locations for trainings, resource shares and school garden tours multiple times a year. By supporting OFSSGN you are supporting our ability to convene our local Garden Educator Network and enrich the work they do on the ground at school across Central Oregon.

Fall Garden Work Party
2018-10-20 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Join us in the garden to help with fall garden projects and some winterization work. We will have coffee, juice and snacks on hand. Tools provided, family friendly. This will also be an opportunity to pick up garden bulbs ordered with our Fall Garden Bulb Fundraiser.

Worthy Garden Club Plant Swap
2019-03-19 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Bring annuals, perennials, herbs, houseplants, bulbs, seeds, or even decorative pots to exchange with your Central Oregon gardening community. The more you bring, the more you’ll take home!
Tickets: $10 if you have items to trade; $15 if you don’t. Kids 12 & under receive a $3 discount.
Tickets include one can of Worthy beer (or non-alcoholic beverage), 10% off your meal that evening, AT LEAST two plants to bring home, and a raffle ticket to win our door prize. Additional raffle tickets will be available for purchase during the event.
Buy your ticket at Worthy Brewing pub. CASH OR CHECK ONLY.
All proceeds will be donated to one of our favorite local non-profits, the Central Oregon Seed Exchange, a valuable Deschutes County resource for purchasing, trading, exchanging, sharing, and saving seed.

Spring Garden Work Party
2019-04-06 09:00 - 12:00 | The Environmental Center, 16 NW Kansas Avenue, Bend, OR, 97703

Whole Foods 5% Day
2019-04-18 08:00 - 21:00 | Whole Foods Market, 2610 U.S. 20, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Shop at Whole Foods Market in Bend on Thursday, April 18th and 5% of the store’s net sales will be donated to our school gardens program! Hope to see you there. Please spread the word.

Earth Day Fair & Parade
2019-04-20 11:30 - 15:00 | Downtown Bend, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
FOR FULL EVENT INFO, VISIT OUR EARTH DAY WEBPAGE.
Join The Environmental Center for a fun and festive celebration of the natural world! Our day of festivities kicks off with a colorful, creative parade and with tunes from B Side Brass Band. You’re sure to feel the energy at one of Bend’s best parades!
11:00 am: Assemble on Louisiana Avenue next to McMenamin’s
11:30 am: Parade starts (about 8 blocks through downtown Bend)
No motorized vehicles in the parade. Well-behaved dogs on leashes are allowed. Costumes encouraged!
The fair takes place on Kansas Avenue in front of The Environmental Center (downtown Bend) from 12pm – 3pm. Featuring live music from Maxwell Friedman Group and a street fair with local businesses, nonprofits, and a variety of food carts. Head over to Troy Field for the Kid’s Zone to enjoy interactive activities and games for all ages.
Big thanks to local artist Megan Marie Myers for creating this year’s original Earth Day artwork! Her design is a beautiful interpretation the interconnectedness of humans and the natural world. Be sure to visit Megan’s booth during the fair!

Garden Educator Network: Spring Lessons in the School Garden
2019-04-25 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Our Spring Garden Educator Network Event will be a short workshop with local gardener and author, Kaci Rae Christopher, whose first book, The School Garden Curriculum, will be published in April! This workshop will go over some of her favorite spring garden lessons with kids, and you’ll leave with hands on ideas to do in your classroom or garden this spring. We are going to pre-order a handful of her books to be able to pass on a discount to our local garden educators at this event. Be sure to let us know if you are interested in purchasing one!
After the workshop, we’ll tour around the OSU Extension demonstration gardens and enjoy beverages while we share more informal ideas among each other for getting kids involved in garden based education this spring.

Central Oregon Master Gardener Association 2019 Plant Sale
2019-06-01 | Deschutes Brewery Public House, 1044 NW Bond St, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
Prepare your garden beds, the annual plant sale, produced by the Central Oregon Master Gardener Association, is coming soon! Join us at the OSU/Deschutes County Extension Service office on Saturday, June 1st. Chose from a large variety of fruits, vegetables and herbs. These plants are selected specifically for the Central Oregon climate. Sale begins at 9:00 am and runs until noon. There will be vendors to shop with, as well as OSU Master Gardener volunteers on hand to answer all of your gardening questions. The Extension Service is located on the fairgrounds in Redmond, near parking lot J (3800 SW Airport Way, Bldg.4).
Plants start selling at 9:00 am and may sell out before 12:00 noon. Come early for best selection!
