Enthusiasm for schoolyard gardens has been picking up across the country, and it makes sense -- what better way to illustrate the connection between farms and food to our kids than to have them participate directly in the process?
I'm also happy to report that our little city is in on the game, too. Local Food Hub is excited to see these gems popping up everywhere and amazed at the enthusiasm and creativity behind them. Here are two that we are happy to be supporting:
Buford School Yard Garden: We're proud to say that we knew the Buford Garden back when it was just a glimmer of an idea in Linda Winecoff's eyes -- and my how it's grown! They've got fences going up and seedlings being donated -- Local Food Hub donated a flat of organic tomatoes, onions, peppers and squash back in March -- and a Buford Garden Club to keep things moving. This summer, the Boys & Girls Club will help keep the garden in tip-top shape. I can't wait to see how it turns out!
Peabody School: The Peabody School also broke ground this spring, thanks to parent and garden enthusiast, Charity Donnelly. The garden had fallen into disuse over the years, but after she heard about our Plant a Row program, Charity decided it was time to brush off the garden tools and get it running again. The kids helped clean it up over the past month, we donated a flat of seedlings to get them started, and NBC 29 News even came out to capture it all on film. All of the produce grown in the garden this year will be donated to the hungry through our campaign. What a great idea, if we do say so ourselves!
We also know that Cale Elementary has embarked upon an ambitious garden this year. We love this stuff! Do you know about other school gardens in our area? Share them with us!
image credit: jimforest/Creative Commons
Greenbrier Elementary has a variety of things going on in their gardens.
ReplyDeleteThe school has a great courtyard that used to be a wasteland of grass and nothing else. In the past decade or so, parents have put in all sorts of trees, shrubs, flowers, and more. There's an herb garden, as well as several raised beds in which there's always something growing. An after-school 4H/Ecology Club has done a lot of planting and, more recently, the kindergarten and first grades have been doing some planting too.
There are plans to keep the gardens going through the summer, with the produce going to families in need.
Mountaintop Montessori has a Garden to Table program with students raising food in the school’s garden and Growing Dome (a geodesic dome greenhouse) and using their produce in a weekly meal for each elementary and middle school classroom. Students take turns planning the meals, cooking them and serving them to the rest of their class.
ReplyDeleteSEED – a summer day camp hosted by Mountaintop – is open to kids from all over the area and gives them a chance to work in the greenhouse, garden and kitchen, and to visit local farms and natural areas. It’s a great opportunity for kids of all ages who don’t many opportunities for those things during the school year. (Many of the ingredients needed for the cooking program at Mountaintop and SEED that aren’t grown at the school are purchased through the Local Food Hub!)
The Growing Dome was purchased with grant funds and built with volunteer labor contributed by parents and students. Other schools who are interested are welcome to contact Mountaintop for information about that - it's a great project.
Check it out:
http://www.mountaintopseedproject.org/
http://www.geodesic-greenhouse-kits.com/features.php
http://montessoripantops.org/