Take some of our crops home to enjoy!

Hello everyone! We'd like to invite all of you to check out our plots in Silver Springs and take home some of the delicious food that is still there. Please respect other gardener's plots and only take crops from the plots marked with a Kids Grow! sign. Our plots are close to the gazebo and are quite easy to find.

We hope you have a great weekend, and don't forget to come to the Harvest Fair on October 2nd!

Today's events are cancelled!

Due to the unfortunate downpour, the Kids Grow! team has decided it's necessary to cancel today's events. We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused, and we hope you have a great day!

Do you still want to check out a great event with lots of crafts, games, prizes and more? Come on out to the HSCA On October 2nd for the Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Association's third annual Harvest Fair!

The Harvest Fair is a great chance to see the amazing things urban agriculture can bring, as well as check out local celebrities, play some fun games, and enter amazing contests. Interested in submitting your artwork? Check out the categories and regulations, and enter for your chance at winning HSCA glory, and some great prizes! Encourage your kids to submit their art as well; it's a great way to flex those creative muscles and get them thinking about their role in food production.

Have a great weekend!

Extending the Kids Grow! season

Hi everyone!

Kids Grow! has some exciting news! We will be continuing our program into September for our final program event for 2013 this Saturday. Come join us on Saturday, September 7th to wrap up the growing season by doing some fun crafts, playing some great games, and cleaning up the Kids Grow! gardens. We hope to see you there!

Updates on KidsGrow! activity

After taking into careful consideration the current situation in Hillhurst Sunnyside, the KidsGrow! team has come to decision to postpone activity in the Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Garden until further notice. Once we can guarantee that the area is safe for kids to be playing and working in, we will begin to resume work in the garden, and we will announce the next KidsGrow! date for Hillhurst Sunnyside. 

In the meantime, everyone is invited to the Silver Springs location, where some tasty looking veggies are starting to sprout up.  Join us this Saturday at our Silver Springs location for some fun activities and a supportive atmosphere. We hope to see you there!

Our Silver Springs location looks great,
and would love some more helpers for weeding!

We hope everyone is doing well and staying safe. Please know that the KidsGrow! community is here to support the community in whatever ways we can, and we hope to resume work in Hillhurst Sunnyside as soon as we can. 

Help support the Hillhurst Sunnyside Community

Over the past few days, areas of Southern Alberta including the city of Calgary have experienced unprecedented damage due to extensive flooding. Hundreds of thousands of people have been affected, and many communities have been affected. Among these communities include Hillhurst Sunnyside, the location of one of the gardens that KidsGrow! operates out of. 

The KidsGrow! team is heartbroken over the damage to the community, and we want to help in any way that we can. If you are interested in helping the Hillhurst Sunnyside community, the Hilhurst Sunnyside Community Association Facebook page will be acting as a source of updates and an area to coordinate volunteers. If you do not have Facebook, please contact Quentin Sinclair (the Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Association's Executive Director) at volunteer@hillhurstsunnyside.org to learn more about how you can help the Hillhurst Sunnyside community. 

In times like these, we are all reminded of what truly brings Calgarians together; our incredible sense of community. Over the next several days, weeks, and months, our sense of community can only grow as we work together to rebuild our city and our province. Please stand with the Hillhurst Sunnyside Community as we all work together to grow stronger. 

Stay Safe, Stay Strong

Due to the extensive flooding that Calgary and surrounding areas are currently experiencing, all KidsGrow! programming is cancelled for Saturday, June 22nd, 2013. Our thoughts are with all of those in the affected areas, and our hearts go out to everyone who has been forced to evacuate. Please listen carefully for updates on the radio and on the Calgary City News Blog for instructions and recommendations. Safety is our number one priority, and we hope that everyone stays safe and strong during these difficult times.

We would like to offer some resources to everyone, including;

A guide to flood information

• This link will bring you to guidelines for flood evacuation, as well as tips, information and further resources            

Sesame Street Hurricane Tool Kit for Parents and Children

• Although catered to dealing with hurricanes, this toolkit includes tips and information useful for helping children deal with the effects of any natural disaster
• The printable activities offered through the toolkit maybe particularly useful to help keep kids happy and occupied

Get Prepared campaign

• This campaign is helping Canadians prepare for the first 72 hours of an emergency

Plan for caring for pets during an emergency

• This is a difficult time for people and their pets, and this FEMA link can helpful in successfully transitioning pets during an evacuation

Before, During and After Flooding in Calgary: Your Guide to Protecting Family and Property

• This extensive guide contains detailed plans and tips both during and after flooding

Calgary Flood Donation Drop Off Points and Wish Lists

• For those who are able to donate to those affected, this is a great resource on what is needed most and where donations are being accepted

The City of Calgary Youtube Channel

• Updates on the important information about Calgary's condition (featuring Mayor Nenshi) are posted here, making it easy to access in depth updates on important events

Please stay safe and dry, everyone!

Kids Grow! is Back

Building off of the success of last year, Kids Grow! is proud to announce that we will once again be running  garden events for children during the summer of 2013. Peer Helpers (student volunteers) from the Centre for Community-Engaged Learning at the University of Calgary, will facilitate weekly events to each children about gardening, food production, community building and environmental stewardship.

The Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Garden (corner of Sunnyhill Lane and 9 Ave NW) has invited us back for another year and we are excited to be returning to our lovely garden plot next to the orchard. Programming in this garden will once again run Saturdays from 10am-12pm.

Kids Grow! is excited to announce that we have also made a new partnership for the summer and will be expanding our program into another garden. We will also be facilitating workshops at the Silver Springs Community Garden (intersection of Silver Hill Road and Silver Hill Way) on Saturday afternoons from 2-4pm.

Both programs will launch on Saturday, June 8, 2013. You do not have to be a member of the garden community to attend the workshops. All events are free. Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

Like us on Facebook at Kids Grow Calgary to keep informed about upcoming events. We look forward to seeing you this summer.

June Calender of Events

All events are free and everyone is invited (recommended age 6 and up). All children must be accompanied by an adult.

Saturday June 2, 2012
Kids Grow! Meet and Greet
Learn about the trees in the orchard and get a tour of the garden. Help us make a banner for Kids Grow! and participate in other fun activities.

Saturday June 9, 2012
Permaculture Workshop
Help design our garden with Ted Bahr from Prairie Sage Permaculture.

Saturday June 16, 2012
Good Bugs
Learn about the various bugs that help our gardens grow while enjoying some fun, creative projects and activities along the way.

Saturday June 23, 2012
Bad Bugs
Find out about bugs and birds that can eat plants and learn how to keep them out naturally. Make a pinwheel and scarecrow to protect our garden space.

All events run from 10am -12 pm at Sunnyside Hillhurst Community Garden/Orchard. Our garden is located in the northeast "corner" of Sunnyside at Sunnyhill Lane and 9 Avenue NW. It's just below Mchugh Bluff to the east of 4A Street NW. See you soon!

Kids Grow! Finds a Home

Today was a wonderful day spent working in the garden and meeting lovely people!

In addition to introducing ourselves to the Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Garden members, we were able to carve out our own little niche in the 'A' plot near the compost bins. Buff helped with clearing out the strawberries and transplanting them to the newly created strawberry patch which we have also inherited as a project for the Kids Grow! team.

The people at Hillhurst Sunnyside Garden were really supportive of our endeavour to bring kids programming into the garden, and are willing to help out.

Thanks to everyone at the garden for making us feel so welcome, and get ready for some little hands to get happily dirty!