NEEM

NEEM Project Gardens – Full Gospel Community Garden – YE Smith School Garden – WG Pearson Middle School Garden -Holton School Garden – Forest View – Eastway School Garden – Fayetteville School Garden – Canal Street Community Garden – Durham Economic Resource Center Garden – Glen School vertical garden – Lowes Grove School – Rolls Florist farm – 58 Individual home raised beds – Organoponico NEEM at Hazel & Wabash Streets (11.2 acre FSA/USDA farm) – Southside School – Save Our Sheep – YIKES – Forest Foundation – Morehead Hill (Orchard Park) Community Garden – SE Durham 11 Community Gardens. We encourage the fund resource and  recipients to use all small local businesses for Employment, part time employment, transportation, tools, materials, supplies, food, haulers and any local small Durham business that can benefit from the project – we are about local food and we are about supporting our local businesses and organizations. It is the collaborative effort in these financial times that makes a difference and effects positive change in the community.

NEEM does not maintain gardens it starts, obtained funding for or funded alone or with partners. We provide support and infrastructures of sustainable materials and information needed to maintain them organically. The Community itself, various organizations or city/school/State entities take over in utilizing these for thier intended educational and food security purpose.

We do what we do best, build community, obtain funding, design and establish the garden, get it done efficiently and move to the next project. The community maintains the gift made. Organoponico NEEM (the farm) is the exception. It is our Food Security and Economic Development component for NEEM as an organization where we promote Agroecological approaches to sustainable urban agriculture.  We provide job training, potential cooperative ownershiop based on performance through the farm as a learning center.

We are immensely proud of the quantity of food produced at the gardens above that are located almost without exception in Durhams low income neighborhoods where help is needed most. The spin off educational, sustainable economic ramifications to these areas is immense.  Most production went to community with a small amount from the property we control going to the NEEM CSA which supports the economic development aspect.

Education and Health issues are addressed, property and tax values increase, beutification occurs, crime goes down and the immediate community becomes more sustainable. That is win-win.

CHEFS MOVE TO SCHOOLS

“Above All Make it Simple”

Chefs Move to Schools is a program, run through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, that will pair chefs with interested schools in their communities so together they can create healthy meals that meet the schools’ dietary guidelines and budgets, while teaching young people about nutrition and making balanced and healthy choices.Let’s Move is the First lady’s initiative to combat obesity and ensure good nutrition for our kids. Chefs Move to Schools is a part of Michele Obama’s initiative.

Durham Public School System is on the list system wide. A school does not have to have a garden to participate. NEEM is working on that, and on integrating this program with existing School Garden Classroom programs.

Durham to sign on to the Chefs Move to Schools initiative because chefs are educators and want to share their knowledge with their community. Kids today are your patrons tomorrow.

Chefs go to this link to sign up:
http://healthymeals.nal.usda.gov/schoolmeals/Chef/ChefsForm.php

Go to this link to find a participating chef or school:
http://healthymeals.nal.usda.gov/schoolmeals/Chef/ChefsMap.php

A Wandering Feast and I as chef have adopted the Y.E. Smith Elementary School.

If you are a chef, don’t just think about it, do it. This is truly serving the community.

If you are not a chef, share this information with your favorite restaurant and its chef in Durham.