Before & After updates

Ralph sent me some before and after pics today. Thought I would post them since we haven't had a whole lot of work done due to the weather. We have been putting a lot of thought into our spring plans and can't wait!

What we've been up to...

First off, the 6th graders have had the chance to learning about composting and worms (all taught by Jesse: a GENEROUS weekly volunteer in my classroom). We now have a couple worm/composting bins inside the classrooms where students are responsible for feeding/maintaining everything. 

Next,  classes have gone out and worked in the garden and planted garlic in one of the unused beds.

Our school also offers a "Backpack Program" where 20 backpacks are filled with donated food every Friday and sent home with a student. This ensures that they have food on the weekends. The program started last Friday and we were able to include several different kinds of FRESH vegetables, such as tomatoes, collards, beets, zucchini, kale, and beans. This is a big step for us - showing that when everyone works together, we can help our school & community. We hope to continue donating produce on a weekly basis, for as long as it lasts.

I found this link on the Whole Foods website: Student Lunch Box Planner. Basically it has a weekly planner of nutritious and tasty meals for kids to bring to school, with a cost per serving that I think are all pretty reasonable. Then if you create the possibility of kids bringing home FREE fruits/vegs from our school garden (on a somewhat regular basis) you knock the cost down even more.

Keep money in your pocket. Feed your kids healthy meals. Throw away less garbage! (Has anyone else noticed just how much packaging each school lunch is?!?!?!)

Thought you might like to check it out!

Things happening...

We've been preparing for 6th graders to spend a week at Outdoor School in late October, and the garden has been especially useful. The curriculum for Outdoor School revolves around field studies of Soil, Water, Animals, and Plants. This week we've been studying soil, and students spent time in the garden and there was more than enough produce for each student to take home a couple things. Students also spent time establishing their own rules for the garden and greenhouse now that the entire school has access to it.

The ginger I bought in Hawaii is also growing well in our greenhouse.

In the next week, students are going to start their own compost and plant garlic in one of the empty beds.

We've been funded!!!!

It's official! Our project on DonorsChoose.org has been fully funded, and supplies are being shipped to our school within the next few weeks.

What to expect:
Once we receive supplies, we can replace any old/broken tools with new ones; begin planting in the empty beds; plant new rosebushes; continue working on a full-year harvest plan.

We really appreciate those who were giving enough to donate to our project. Last week, students from my class spent the afternoon weeding and maintaining the beds and then took a lot of produce home. It was great!

Big transformations

So here it is - almost the end of summer - and we couldn't be happier or more proud of our progress. Last weekend another work party from Imago Dei came in and helped all over the school. In the garden, they laid gravel and stones for walkways and finished building the remaining beds. They also helped lay barkdust and clean up other areas of the school in preparation for the new year.

We have a bounty of crops, with much more on the way.

Lots happening...

So it's been a little while since I've updated the page (partly because students have a break till September, and partly because I was in Hawaii...) but a lot has happened even while the kids are having summer break. 

The biggest news is that a volunteer work group from Ernst & Young Accounting Firm came out on August 4th and spent the day working on several projects. In the garden, they weeded and cleaned up debris in both courtyards; set up the irrigation drip system; transplanted a tree 

to another area of the school and built a couple more beds in it's place; and painted a chess board on the playground blacktop. 

We owe Ernst & Young a big thanks!

An article was also written about the article in the Portland Public Schools News. Check it out: Forgotten Garden Blooms Again

Another work party is set for this Saturday, the 22nd, as we gear up to start the new school year.