Our school has a Farm2Fork program that I am fortunate to teach. Many years ago I trained as a horticulturist and am thrilled to be able to use these skills to connect with the next generation. We have a small garden and greenhouse and my students LOVE to grow fruits and vegetables. Each week I teach 4 classes and it is so fun to connect with the students over the garden and over food we prepare with what they harvest. Just a few weeks ago I had a student who said as we were up potting seedlings " I can't grow anything, every time I try I kill it" . Last week I got to show him the plants that HE successfully grew and he was elated!
In addition to my regular Farm2Fork classes, I connect with core subject area teachers to help integrate the garden into their lessons. One recent example is an English class that was ready Stone Soup. The class harvested vegetables from the garden and made their own version of Stone Soup (in the Instant pot). They all loved it, especially the teacher!
My upper elementary students have been growing summer crops from seed over the past few weeks. This has involved sowing the seeds, thinning as needed, up potting and will end with a student led plant sale where they will have the opportunity to sell the plants they grew to parents. Proceeds from the sale will go into funding the school garden. They will also donate vegetable seedlings to two local community gardens that are just starting up.
Every summer we have parent volunteers who sign up for a week to tend the school garden, they also get to harvest anything that is ready to eat! Our families love this opportunity to not only connect to the school through volunteer work, but also to get their hand dirty and enjoy some fresh garden produce.
For me personally, I love that my garden teaching allows me to connect with students and to connect them with nature and the garden. This is a life long skill that they will carry (hopefully) home to their garden, but also, well into their adult years. The school garden also enables me to connect with the parents of our students, teachers and our greater community through local community gardens. When ever I am working in the garden, someone stops by to see what we are growing, what I am doing etc. Gardens are a conversation starter, that is for sure!
------------------------------
Anne Baines
Cornerstone Prep Academy
------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 04-05-2022 11:50:20 AM
From: Amelia Dupuis
Subject: How does your garden help you connect?
It's Kids Garden Month! This year, the Kids Garden Month theme is "How does your garden care for you?". Every year, KidsGardening holds a month-long contest for kids and this year we're also celebrating here in the Kids Garden Community with a weekly discussion so all of us educators, caregivers, and volunteers can get in on the fun!
Each Tuesday, we'll start a thread related to the theme and anyone who responds is entered into a drawing to win a weekly garden goodie package! Prize details and kids contest info is provided here.
This week's topic: How does your garden/gardening connect you to your community, other people, or nature?
------------------------------
Amelia Dupuis
Kids Garden Community Manager
KidsGardening
------------------------------