We are now accepting applications for classrooms to participate in the Little Green Thumbs program beginning in September 2012.

Click on the link to download and send in the fill-able PDF APPLICATION FORM.

Indoor Gardening Equipment

The Little Green Thumbs program will provide your classroom with an indoor garden grow kit, and a vermi-composting kit. The indoor garden grow kit includes a lighting system (grow light, ballast, fan, and reflector), 4 self-watering planters, seeds, pots, and soil. The garden will generally need a 4 x 8 table to accommodate the garden, however if you have more space, the light provides an 8×8 footprint to add other pots. The indoor garden grow kit is given to the school to keep, and should any components need replacement, the school can go through the Little Green Thumbs coordinator to receive replacement parts. The 1000 watt light bulb will need replacing, for a cost of around 80$ after 3 years.

Vermi-composting and other Resources

The second major component of Little Green Thumbs is the introduction of vermi-composting worms in 2 kits to encourage the reduction of food waste in your school. We will also be providing the classroom with resources such as books, posters, in-school activities, classroom sessions with the Little Green Thumbs coordinator, group sharing with other participating schools, and a Teacher’s Workshop to kick start the program. An exciting portion of the project are the Celebration Events, where schools have the opportunity to involve the community and other participating schools in sharing their experiences and stories about their year’s successes.

Passing on the Gift

A central component of Little Green Thumbs is its capacity to be self-sustaining and an agreement of “Passing on the Gift” is vital in achieving our vision: A Garden in Every School; A School in Every Garden. We are carefully selecting our schools based on geographical location, willingness to participate, and commitment to meet and evaluate the objectives of the program. The support from the administration and maintenance professional of the school is also very important for the successful implementation of the program; as the light in the grow kit adds an additional $150 per year to the school’s electricity bill.

Teacher’s Workshops

We are requiring that all Little Green Thumbs teachers participate in the Teacher’s Workshop; which will be held in the fall in Saskatoon. This workshop is imperative for all the teachers to receive hands-on education about the project, demonstrations on how to set up the kit, background on the project and advice from the more experienced teachers, and a great opportunity to meet and discuss with the other teachers in the program. We will provide meals and all workshop fees.