Green Peoplez Take Home Seven Blue Ribbons

The Green Peoplez, a group of young, intrepid entrepreneurs that have delved whole-heartedly into the NECIC Blust Avenue Teaching Garden, took home seven blue first-place ribbons and two red second-place ribbons from the Mansfield Men's Garden Club 62nd Annual Fall Harvest Show at Kingwood Center Gardens on Saturday.

The Green Peoplez group began in February of this year through a partnership of the NECIC Blust Avenue Teaching Garden and the ROAR (Real Opportunities in Achievement and Readiness) Program.  ROAR is a grant-funded NECIC program that focuses on 7th to 12th grade Mansfield City School students.

Starting their own plants from seed, transplanting, tending and growing their plants and harvesting their produce, the Green Peoplez have learned the ins and outs of gardening.  Additionally, the group sells their produce at the North End Farmers Market.  The proceeds go to the group to do with as they see fit.

Produce grown by the students was exhibited at the Annual Fall Harvest Show in the Junior Horticulture division.

In addition to the many ribbons, the group also took home premiums for Sweepstakes Award for Junior Horticulture for most blue ribbons, and Best Fruit or Vegetable in the Junior Horticulture division.

The Green Peoplez would like to thank the Mansfield Men's Garden Club and Kingwood Center Gardens for the opportunity to display their produce, and in particular thank Jim Kulig for his support and guidance in this venture.

If you would like to support the Green Peoplez, feel free to stop by their booth at the North End Farmers Market on Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 486 Springmill Street.  As students have returned to school, the booth will be manned by either myself or NECIC Community Programs Coordinator Diane Ottolenghi.