Another Workday!

Our fourth workday in the garden this year was another screaming success. We had the biggest turnout of kids yet, thanks largely to the 4th grade teachers who offered their students community service credit if they came. Here, 4th grade teacher Ms. LaFleur arrives with her daughters:

And they did come, in droves. With their help, we weeded and mulched and mulched and weeded. 

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We also had help from tree specialist and master gardener Herb Machleder, who helped prune our fruit orchard. We're hoping that with his help, and our garden manager's capable hands, we can double our already productive crop next year. 

...we looked for bugs...  ...we scraped paint off tables.  

We got done everything we wanted and more. Workdays are an incredible chance for us to make a big push in the garden -- there's only so much one or two people can do alone; it's great to have so many hands. But workdays are also an incredible chance for us to connect with the students and their families in a whole different way, a time for us to remember what we're trying to do and why. Plus, they're really fun -- more than one kid asked if we could have them every week!

Workday 3!

November 19 was our third workday of the school year. Both the sky and the forecast threatened rain, but we were determined to soldier on no matter what, and invited people to the garden rain or shine. But nature complied, as did our volunteer list. It never rained, but was cool enough that no one got too hot or miserable. We had at least 50 people there

We got huge amounts of work done. In the photo above, people are clearing our former melon and pumpkin patch of the final crops and the weeds that threatened to overrun that fertile soil. Once the weeds were gone, we planted cover crops of borrage and clover to stave of the grasses that want to take over, and replenish some of the nutrients our plants took out. The cover crops will grow there until we're ready to plant in the space again, at which time they'll be mixed directly into the soil and turned into compost right there on the spot. While the adults were using the big tools, the kids were working too.

They brought their little brothers and weeded...

...they dug holes, filled in holes, and looked for bugs... 

...and they planted peas.

We got an amazing amount of work done and our best turn out yet. It is so gratifying to see the pride the community -- students, parents, neighbors, everyone! -- takes in this garden that we love so much. At the end of the day, we were able to send families home with bags bursting with collard greens, chard, kale, mint and other herbs. All of which was grown in beds that were tended to at previous workdays. To everyone who came:Thank you so much for your help. To everyone else: see you next time, December 10th, 9 am!

When Kids Make Salads

 Who says kids won't love a healthy snack?

Quite often when we tell people what we teach our kids in cooking class their response is, "Do they even like it?" Every time, with a satisfying smile, we reply, "Yes, they do!" And our doubter is left amazed. Take our Fourth Graders for example:

We walked Ms. Lafleur's fourth grade class to the orchard and began to harvest some of the last Granny Smith and Fuji apples of the year. The kids were literally jumping with excitement over the prospect of picking this delicious fruit.  After we collected a bowlful of apples and took it back to the table, we washed and cut the apples.  The students then learned all about fennel and chopped the bulb up as well.  They also cut up some mint and sorrel they had harvested from the garden and tossed it all with a squeeze of lemon, a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Finally, we took our forks in hand, and as a class we counted "one...two...three"...and we all tasted it! At first it was quiet, as everyone chewed up their first bite.  But then, the exclamations started coming from all directions! "This is GOOD!!"  "I love it!" "I'm going to want some more!" Every single student had  something wonderful to say about the tastiness of this snack.  Then from the side I kept hearing, "Miss Cassie, Miss Cassie" and so I walked over to my friend at the table.  He stood up and looked at me with an almost desperate countenance and pleaded "Please! Can I take this recipe home and give it to my mom so that she can make it for me for my birthday?!?" At once my heart was overjoyed at this most sincere stamp of approval.

Fourth graders enjoying the salad

Try it for yourself and tell us what you think! 

Apple Fennel Salad 

Ingredients: 

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and halved

2 bulbs fennel, sliced thin

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

optional: 1/4th cup chopped sorrel

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Method:

 1.  Cut the apple into thin slices and place in a medium bowl with the fennel and sorrel.

 2. Whisk together the lemon juice, mint, and olive oil in a small bowl.

 3. Toss the apples, fennel and sorrel with the vinaigrette and season to taste with salt and pepper.

 4. Enjoy!

Too much good stuff!

The American Honda Foundation has just awarded us another $25,000 grant to continue our efforts throughout our (ever expanding!) community. To them, we say, "thank you!" and we can't wait to put that money to work.

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Harvest Moon

As I type this, I can hear the gentle chords of Neil Young's Harvest Moon playing in the background filling me up with fond memories of a night that just passed us by.  The Harvest Moon Celebration, Garden School Foundation's annual fundraiser, was this last Saturday.

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