Nj Farm To School Network And Edible Jersey Magazine Announce 3rd School Garden Of The Year Contest

TRENTON, N.J. - Jan. 21, 2015 - PRLog -- Eligibility to enter includes any New Jersey public or private pre-K-12 school or childcare center. Applicants must have had a school garden open during the 2013-2014 school year and be able to provide documentation through photos of its uses and existence.

Gardens must be in an established indoor or outdoor setting utilizing experiential, garden-based learning. Indoor, greenhouse, raised beds, aquaponic, hydroponic, rooftop and container gardens are considered acceptable for application for the contest.

Entries will be judged by a committee of representatives from the following organizations: Edible Jersey, New Jersey Farm to School Network, New Jersey Department of Agriculture, NJ Nursery and Landscape Association, Rutgers Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners and the NJ Alliance for Environmental Education.

The “Overall Winning Garden” will receive a $1500 prize at an award ceremony hosted at their garden in mid-May. Additional awards will be given to schools that represent notable practices in Nutrition Education, Environmental Education, Community Outreach and, new this year, “Best Rookie of the Year Garden”. This new award will recognize newly established gardens under two years old.

This year’s sponsors include Eastern Produce Council, Applegate Farms, Green Living Technologies, NJ School Nutrition Association, Sustainable Fare and AgWorks Consulting. All completed submissions to the contest will be entered into a drawing for a Mobile Edible Wall Unit, indoor grow wall valued at $3,000 donated by Green Living Technologies, Inc. of Rochester, NY.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: MARCH 31, 2015.