What is it about pumpkins?! It doesn't matter what shape or color of orange, our students love them - from TK to 6th, invariably I hear, "LOOK! PUMPKINS!" as they walk by the Garden. This year, because of the odd weather, our pumpkins began to ripen early - in July. Many of them did not survive until the school year began and are now slowly decomposing into mulch. Last year, we had over 25 that became Jack O' Lanterns and roasted pumpkin seed snacks. I'm not sure how many will last this year - but we DO still have growing, the most gigantic pumpkin EVER! This year we hope to sell some of our harvest to help fund the new Aquaponics system and the purchase of a few more fruit trees. Want to help? Let us know if you would like to buy one of the beautiful fruits our students grew!
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Although there was a minimal amount of rain this winter, there was enough to have the wildflowers bloom. Because we did so much planting and mulching in the Garden area, those flowers bloomed as well. Our flowers serve three purposes. In both the Nature Center and the Garden, they provide food for our residents. The bees, wasps, hoverflies and other insects are attracted by the seeds, leaves, nectar, pollen and other bugs that like the flowers. These second thing that the flowers do is attract insects and birds that will pollinate our plants and are predator creatures that keep the "bad" bugs in check. Are there any "bad" bugs? Not really! Everything needs to eat and if there were no bugs for our birds, wasps and lizards to eat, they would starve! The third thing? Why, they are just plain beautiful! Vegetable gardens are often not the most beautiful things as the produce ripens. Having flowers is a distraction from those brown leaves, dried stems and eaten up greenery! We had a successful Back To School Night last night - it was wonderful meeting so many new parents and saying hello to "old" ones. We made a few dollars towards our Aquaponics Fund, and enjoyed the admiration for the hard work of our students in the Garden.
Today, though, I was tired, and it was hot and muggy - the joys of the Garden and Nature Center were not as evident. But, as always, things reminded me of why I am so lucky to have this gratifying job. I learned that a new kinder student was having a hard time adjusting, but was finally able to calm down and do his work by sitting with one of our pumpkins at his desk! As a reward, he was allowed to draw a face on his new friend. The second thing that happened was hearing from one of our staff how delicious the garlic was that the children grew last year! She was so happy with it that she offered to purchase some again this year. We planted 8 different kinds last winter, as well as three kinds of onions, some more successful than others. Exposing our students, and their families about the many varieties of fruits and vegetables that exist is one of our goals. The fact that we are growing them without chemicals of any kind is even more positive. So, today, I will be happy for our hot and muggy weather because our tropical orchard is thrilled! Let's hope the oppossum doesn't get to our papaya before we do. One of the great joys of Garden Club is the cooking and eating of the produce that the students have grown. From salad, to strawberry shortcake, and even a beverage made from Toyon berries, it is all deliciously fun! At the feasts, only items that contain fruits or vegetables that are currently growing in our Garden or Nature Center are allowed. And yes, we grew both potatoes and corn, so there were chips of both kinds! As I enjoyed this first rain of our rainy season, organizing all the many photos from this last school year, I thought about the flowers of our Nature Center and Garden - from the California Native plants, to wildflowers, to vegetable and fruit blossoms, our students loved seeing them all. But no less important, are the many visitors that use the flowers as a food source, and a place to rest and breed - predators of insects, and the insects themselves, their important work was observed by the children, allowing them a glimpse of nature at work not readily available in many of their lives. It is quiet while the students are gone for the summer. I am always a little sad that they aren't there to see all the fruits of their labor! If school were held from October through July instead, we would have eaten sweet corn, juicy tomatoes and spicy peppers. We could have harvested squash blossoms and hoped to eat a melon before the resident opossum(s) ate them! Our helpers came and did summer cleanup, planted the new banana and papaya trees, harvested the last of the potatoes, and built our new enclosure for the Aquaponics System. Eagle Scout, and former student, Lap, made us two new tables for our Edible Schoolyard. Our various residents had a good summer as well - enjoying the fruits, flowers, and vegetables that the students planted! The end of the school year came so quickly! We were busy right up until the end, with planting, cleaning, harvesting, examining, eating, and celebrating! The Environmental Festival was a big success - we made enough money to purchase another peach tree! |
Kathleen IrvineCertified Horticulturist, Artist, Teacher Categories
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