I suddenly realized that my blog has languished with no entry for over a year! Facebook seems to be such a simple way of keeping people informed, but over the last year there has been concern in the world over issues with social media. So here is a little catch-up for you, if social media is not your thing.
We added a few fruit trees in 2018 - a quince - Cydonia oblonga - a fruit found in Mesopotamia in the 6th-7th Century BCE. There is speculation that it is this fruit that was in the Garden of Good and Evil, rather than an apple, that gave Adam and Eve a little trouble.
A second ancient tree that we planted was Olea 'Nocellara Del Belice', or 'Castelvetrano' - an olive variety suitable for either table or oil uses. Originally from Sicily, it is 2700 years old.
These two trees expanded our Ancient World Mediterranean area of the Garden, joining the fig, pomegranate, artichoke, rosemary, lavender, oregano, sage and thyme.
The rest of the orchards - citrus, stone fruits, and tropical - have finally settled in and are producing copious amounts of fruit. We gave away many bananas, and made plum, grape, lilikoi, and guava jam/jellies that were used as fundraisers to support garden needs.
Last spring we were awarded a grant from the ABC Education Foundation for the improvement of the Reptile Refuge - adding a pump and filter, replacing old liners and plastic pools, as well as building a real home for Iggy the Iguana, and Silver Knight the Cockateil. We anticipate the start to finish of this project sometime in 2020.
As usual, we were gifted with donations from Kellogg Garden Products, as well as many different seed companies: Seed Savers, Baker Creek, High Mowing, Johnny Seeds, and Peaceful Valley. We are grateful for the support of these companies - without their contributions we would not be able to operate.
As we leave fall, heading into winter, my students have cleared out the garden beds and planted winter vegetables - carrots, radishes, kale, lettuce, cabbage, bok choy, garlic and onions. I've ordered wildflower seeds for the Nature Center, anticipating a rainy winter. Children love throwing seeds around, rather than the dreariness of measuring and planting one seed at a time - and wildflowers prefer that particular method.
Spring will be here before you know it, and the Nature Center will be awash in flowers and fragrance, the Garden fruit trees blossoming in a riot of pink and white. I hope that some of you will come visit the Nature Center and Garden - it is open to the public as long as you go through the front office for a visitor pass. It is such a remarkable asset to the ABC School District, and an invaluable source of learning for our children. I am always happy to show it off!
We added a few fruit trees in 2018 - a quince - Cydonia oblonga - a fruit found in Mesopotamia in the 6th-7th Century BCE. There is speculation that it is this fruit that was in the Garden of Good and Evil, rather than an apple, that gave Adam and Eve a little trouble.
A second ancient tree that we planted was Olea 'Nocellara Del Belice', or 'Castelvetrano' - an olive variety suitable for either table or oil uses. Originally from Sicily, it is 2700 years old.
These two trees expanded our Ancient World Mediterranean area of the Garden, joining the fig, pomegranate, artichoke, rosemary, lavender, oregano, sage and thyme.
The rest of the orchards - citrus, stone fruits, and tropical - have finally settled in and are producing copious amounts of fruit. We gave away many bananas, and made plum, grape, lilikoi, and guava jam/jellies that were used as fundraisers to support garden needs.
Last spring we were awarded a grant from the ABC Education Foundation for the improvement of the Reptile Refuge - adding a pump and filter, replacing old liners and plastic pools, as well as building a real home for Iggy the Iguana, and Silver Knight the Cockateil. We anticipate the start to finish of this project sometime in 2020.
As usual, we were gifted with donations from Kellogg Garden Products, as well as many different seed companies: Seed Savers, Baker Creek, High Mowing, Johnny Seeds, and Peaceful Valley. We are grateful for the support of these companies - without their contributions we would not be able to operate.
As we leave fall, heading into winter, my students have cleared out the garden beds and planted winter vegetables - carrots, radishes, kale, lettuce, cabbage, bok choy, garlic and onions. I've ordered wildflower seeds for the Nature Center, anticipating a rainy winter. Children love throwing seeds around, rather than the dreariness of measuring and planting one seed at a time - and wildflowers prefer that particular method.
Spring will be here before you know it, and the Nature Center will be awash in flowers and fragrance, the Garden fruit trees blossoming in a riot of pink and white. I hope that some of you will come visit the Nature Center and Garden - it is open to the public as long as you go through the front office for a visitor pass. It is such a remarkable asset to the ABC School District, and an invaluable source of learning for our children. I am always happy to show it off!