Garden Club. . . in pictures.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.  After today, I'm tired, so I'll let these pictures speak for themselves.

Today's job. . . weeding.

This is our thank you note to Mr. V's friend Heather.  She's a landscape
architect (I think) who donated the wood for our fence.

I believe Esteban is up to something!

This is what it looked like when we started!

This picture speaks for itself!

Sophie wonders where to start.

"Weeding is my favorite. . .(not really)."

This is what it looked like 20 minutes later.

The rosemary is blooming!

That's a lot of weeds!

Mr. V keeping everyone motivated!

Team work!

Our new raised bed!  Thank you to Joan Albiston for making this happen!

Kevin and Guadalupe checking out the new garden bed.

I'm not sure.  But, I believe it's a good thing.

Jack and Elise discuss the impending snack, fresh microgreens we
started last week!

YES!

Rainy Days

I've kind of challenged myself to not cancel Garden Club for the weather.  So far, I've done okay with that.  In the past, when I've canceled, I've spent so much time figuring out how to get everyone home, I might as well have just had Garden Club.  Sure, everyone is a tad bit more energetic after being cooped up inside all day, and it can get a bit loud with 25+ kids in one room, but it's fun nonetheless.

So, today we got a couple of things done.  We made the letters for a giant thank you note.  Pictures of the full note and an explanation will come next week, as long as the weather cooperates.  

We also started our first tray on micro-greens.  Last year, Phil and Deirdre Armstrong, our friends from Harvest Thyme Herbs, donated a book to the club about how to grow them.  They're a great indoor crop that we can tend even when the weather is bad.  This tray is a batch of radishes, beets, lettuces, and nasturtiums.  We'll let them get an inch or so tall and cut them for a salad.  Thank you Phil and Deirdre!

Lastly, my student Claire has hatched some guinea fowl eggs.  Three of the chicks took up residence in my room right after club ended today.  I think they'll probably be joined by a few more later this week.  They'll stay until the end of the week, when I'll take them home.  I'm hoping they eat enough ticks come spring that Mrs. Rough and my dogs won't get any more tick diseases next summer.  We'll see.   If anyone wants to come visit them, you're most welcome to come in the mornings before class starts.  Just note, we're going to make a conscious effort to be extra quiet and calm so we don't freak them (The chicks, that is. I think the kids will be freaked out by being calm and quiet.) out over this week. 

So yes, the weather is terrible.  But I got to spend an hour hanging out with my friends, Mr. Ferg and Mr. V, and a great bunch of kids.  What could be better?

I think Liam was getting a little annoyed with me.

Mr. V's posse

Note the pen for the guinea fowl chicks that will live
in the classroom for the rest of this week.

Esteban

How did I survive last year with these two?!?

Take my picture, please!

When's snack?  I'm so hungry I could eat this red marker.

September Garden News!

Here we are almost half way through September already.  It's my favorite time of year. . . until about mid-March.  Then, that's my favorite time of year.  You'll never hear me say that February or August are my favorite times of year, though.  Sorry, I think the weather has me giddy.  Anyway, no pictures this time as I'm still blowing the sand out of the camera from the beach a couple weeks ago.  I'll have that fixed up by next week.  So. . .

We've started the fall Garden Club off with a bang.  Despite last weeks weather we got a lot done in terms of planning.  Our fall Garden Party is coming up on Saturday, October 6th.   We made a list of things we need to get done before then from cleaning up the summer weeds and weeding the flower bed, to growing some micro-greens indoors and writing a thank you note to our friend Heather for donating the fence materials.  Did I say fence?  Indeed, the fence is done!  The gates aren't installed yet, but we'll get to that, too.

This week, we just got a lot of work done.  We pretty much ravaged 1/4 of the garden, pulling out weeds, old plants, roots, rocks.  To watch it happen was like some sort of plague. . . the swarm of school kids descends on the waist high weeds and when they move away a few minutes later. . . bare ground!

So, I'll just put this out there and see what happens.  There are a lot of us in garden club this year.  We have enough tools for just over a dozen kids, and some of those are getting a bit ragged and starting to fall apart.  If anyone parents or other adults have any tools (hand tools mostly, but we can certainly use some hoes as well) they'd like to lend us for the fall, it would be greatly appreciated.  If you do, could you label them with your name and drop them off at my room (E-101, sort of the back corner of the school on the bottom floor of the new wing) when you're around school.  I think that'd be better than trying to get them to school on the bus.  I'm pretty sure that carrying garden tools is frowned upon by bus drivers. Thanks so much!

I mentioned the pot luck Garden Party a second ago.  As I said, it will be on Saturday, October 6th.  I can't remember if I told Ms. Scholl a time yet, so let's say we start gathering at the picnic tables by the garden in the field at 11:30.  I'll have my canopy up and and tables available for all kinds of great food. Please bring chairs or a blanket to sit on, a dish to share, and perhaps a frisbee or something to toss around in the beautiful fall weather.  I hope to see everyone there.

Have a great week!