The kindergartners used their senses of sight, smell and touch to make keen observations in the Unquowa garden. Each student was given a sprig of thyme, lemon balm or chocolate mint to carefully examine and then challenged to locate in a bed of herbs. Many of the kindergartners identified the scents of lemon and mint as they rubbed the leaves gently between their fingers while searching for their herbs. Kindergartners also sighted a beautiful butterfly and recognized the symmetrical pattern on its wings, a connection to a recent math lesson. After students identified their herbs, they recorded observations by drawing detailed pictures of the leaves. Kindergartners did a great job making connections and honing their observation skills in the garden!

The PreK-4 students toured the Unquowa garden in October in conjunction with their study on the origins of food. On the way, they stopped to see the rain barrel and go inside of the tepee which is covered with heirloom flowers, including Grampa Ott’s morning glories, purple hyacinth beans and cardinal flowers. Students visited raised beds and identified lettuce, Swiss chard, carrots, peppers and strawberries. They smelled lemon balm, lavender and chocolate mint and picked green and purple green beans. In the classroom, the PreK-4 students planted lettuce seeds in newspaper pots and removed the green leafy tops of carrots that had been picked in the garden. It was a busy day in the garden!

The kindergarten students have been learning about seeds. They picked marigolds in the Unquowa Garden, opened them, and used magnifying glasses to examine the inside. Students identified the seeds and petals and drew pictures to record their observations. The kindergartners are saving their marigold seeds to plant in the Grow Lab next spring.

The 3rd and 4th graders explored the Unquowa Garden by going on a scavenger hunt. They did an impressive job identifying vegetables, herbs and flowers such as rainbow Swiss chard, arugula, basil and peppers. They even discovered Black Swallowtail caterpillars munching on the carrots and parsley. Students were excited to see plants that they had planted last summer as well as many of the vegetables that Chef Peter serves for lunch.

May continued to be a busy month in the garden. The PreK-3 students planted a salsa garden using the square foot garden technique. Tomatoes, habenara and bell peppers, cilantro and marigolds were carefully transplanted and watered. Other vegetables and herbs planted in late spring included Yukon Gold potatoes, cucumbers, three varieties of tomatoes, zucchini and basil. Many varieties of lettuce and D’Avignon and Easter Egg radishes were harvested for the kitchen as well as chives, sage, thyme, oregano and other herbs. At the end of the month, 5th graders weeded and mulched flower beds and the espalier pear tree. They also planted Taiyo, Autumn Beauty and Velvet Queen sunflowers along the corral fence. Many thanks to all of the students, faculty and staff for another successful year in the garden.

We have had a busy April in the Unquowa garden. PreK-4 learned about seeds and vermicomposting and planted Easter egg radishes. Kindergartners added compost to the soil under the tepee in preparation for planting morning glories, cardinal flowers and ruby moon hyacinth beans. They also transplanted lovely purple and yellow pansies into planters. 1st through 4th graders learned a concept called square foot gardening and used a grid and computer program to plan their own gardens. In addition, students planted green beans, dwarf gray sugar peas, purple haze carrots, arugula and three varieties of lettuce. Come tour our garden. Many vegetables are beginning to germinate and plants are labeled for easy identification. Look for more to come in May. Students will be planting potatoes, a “salsa” garden, tomatoes, peppers and sunflowers.

Did you know that a hand span is a form of measurement that farmers have used for hundreds of years to measure objects in the garden? Third and fourth graders traced their hands and measured the length from the tip of their thumbs to the tip of their little fingers. Then they set off to the garden with clipboards, rulers and meter sticks. Objects were measured in hand spans and centimeters and data recorded. Students measured everything from the butterfly bush and espalier pear tree to the rain barrel, trellises and the composter. Students enjoyed the opportunity to be outside on a beautiful spring day and hone their math skills in the garden!

Sixth grade students have been helping to maintain a worm composting bin this year. Composting with worms is a great way to recycle newspapers and leftovers that would normally go to the landfill. Volunteer students come twice a week to feed the red wigglers food scraps such as vegetables, coffee grounds, and egg shells. They also add strips of newspaper bedding and spray the bin with water regularly to insure a moist environment for the worms. Recently, Michael and Paul harvested our first batch of vermicompost. Vermicompost is the waste or castings produced by the worms and is an excellent fertilizer for plants. We are looking forward to the arrival of spring and adding this nutrient rich humus to our raised bed gardens.

The 2nd graders learned that vegetables, herbs, and flowers can be grown year round in the Grow Lab. They were given the choice of planting one of three green leafy vegetables which included arugula, spinach, and baby leaf lettuce. Students have been making weekly observations, measuring the heights of their plants in centimeters, and filling out a plant growth chart. The 2nd graders will be harvesting their greens in a few short weeks to feed to Mrs. Shannon’s and Mrs. O’Connell’s guinea pigs.

First through fourth grade students visited Sport Hill Farm in October to learn about seasonal vegetables. Patti Popp led students through fields of spinach, lettuce, broccoli, Swiss chard, leeks and sunflowers. Students also toured the greenhouse which held hundreds of pounds of sweet potatoes. Patti explained that sweet potatoes gain their sweet flavor by going through a curing process. Lessons were further extended at school in the dining room. Mr. Lawrence shared facts about sweet potatoes and discussed their nutritional value. Students then sampled homemade sweet potato pies that had been freshly baked that morning. Thank you, Patti Popp and Chef Dan, for providing our students with valuable lessons about this interesting seasonal vegetable.