REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!
Thinking Globally & Acting Locally: Growing Food for Our Community
Join us on Saturday, March 29 at 10 am for interesting speakers, thoughtful breakout sessions, workshops, seed and seedling giveaways, partner organization representatives, and lots of great garden chats! Doors open and check in will begin at 9:15 am. Come early to get down and dirty. Check out the tentative agenda here.
¡NUEVA UBICACIÓN! We’re excited to host the 2025 Kickoff at Marymount University’s Ballston Campus at 1000 N Glebe Rd, Arlington. We’re a 7 minute walk from the Ballston-Marymount University Metro station (Orange/Silver), and parking will be also available. See transportation and parking info here.
- Learn about FOUA’s Plot Against Hunger program & how to get involved
- Sessions for Beginning to Experienced Gardeners – Soil needs, basic garden structures, seed starting & transplanting, best varieties of crops for food pantries, transforming Virginia’s clay into fertile soil, permaculture techniques, timing plantings for optimum results
- Growing in the City – No Space? No Problem! Garden indoors, on a balcony, or patio with microgreens, sprouts, hydroponics, container gardens
- Mini Lessons on Gardening Practices – Beating the heat in a garden, garden thrift & practicing 3 Rs, Winter sowing (growing seeds OUTDOORS for spring starts), bucket traps for mosquitoes
- Plot Against Hunger gardeners’ displays & garden/gleaning volunteering info
- Visit partner tables from Northern Virginia Cooperative Extension Service Master Gardeners, Arlington County, and more
- Plot gardeners can collect containers/bags for donations & Plot Against Hunger garden signs
- BONUS: Take home some free vegetable, herb and flower seeds!
- PLUS: Join us for Brown Bag Roundtable Discussions at 12:45. Bring your lunch & meet fellow gardeners in different groups: schoolyard gardens, faith-based gardens, food security & agriculture issues.
This event is free, registration is required.
¿Quieres ser voluntario el día del inicio del Spring Garden? Let us know here!
¿Te interesa ser patrocinador del evento Spring Garden Kickoff? Contáctanos en info@arlingtonurbanag.org
Agenda
Tentative Spring Garden Kickoff Agenda (subject to change)
| 9:15-10 AM |
Doors open for attendees. Browse exhibits downstairs, partner tables/Plot tables/”local garden practices” garden poster session on mezzanine. |
|---|---|
|
GENERAL SESSION – Auditorium |
|
| 10 am |
Bienvenido |
|
Remarks from Arlington County officials |
|
| The Issue of Hunger: Think Globally and Act Locally | |
| Area Giving Gardens | |
| Prince Georges Community College Pantry/Garden | |
| Lang Street Community Garden – how we give as a community | |
| Our Lady Queen of Peace (St. Isidore’s Garden) | |
| Plot Against Hunger Program – gardens & gleaning program | |
| Ways to Get Involved this Spring (Senior Experience; Saturdays in the Garden) | |
| 11:15-11:30 | Coffee Break & Browse exhibits |
| Browse exhibits downstairs, partner tables/Plot tables/”local garden practices” garden poster session on mezzanine. | |
| 11:30-12:15 | Breakout sessions – Third floor classrooms |
| 1. Learning the Basics: Getting Started with gardening | |
| 2. Beyond the Basics: Learn from the Experts * Gardening in Arlington * Trusting Nature |
|
| 3. No Space? No Worries! Growing indoors or with little space (sprouts, microgreens, hydroponics and container gardening) | |
| 12:30-1:30 | Seedlings – Patio |
| plántulas | |
| 12:30-1:30 | Seed Library – Classroom |
| Seed Library | |
| 12:30-1:30 | Roudtables: Bring a bagged lunch and meet other gardeners (upstairs Conference Room) |
| l. Schoolyard Gardens | |
| 2. Faith-based Gardens | |
| 3. Getting involved in Plot/food security issues |
Transportation and Parking
Transportation and Parking
Marymount University’s Ballston Campus is located at 1000 N Glebe Road (at Fairfax Drive.)
It is a convenient 7 minute walk from the Ballston-MU Metro Station, serviced by the orange and silver lines and multiple bus lines.
Parking Options:
- Parking under the building is $6 for the entire day. An elevator from the garage will bring you straight into the building’s lobby. Ballston Center’s parking garage can be accessed from the rear of the building, off N. Wakefield Street.
- Meter parking is available on N. Glebe Road and N. Fairfax Drive.
- Ballston garage, 627 N. Glebe Rd. (10 minute walk to Marymount Ballston) ($1 for 3 hours; $3 for 3-4 hours — remember that Ballston garage now requires prepayment at machines by the elevators.)
- Free parking is available on neighborhood streets, but may be limited.
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