Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Sharing the Harvest
This Summer, Shepherds of Good Hope struggled for food donations. For the first time in over 20 years, they did not have enough soup for soup kitchen. The volunteer chefs were happy to receive donations from the school gardens.
"It smells so fresh!" and "What a great thing for kids to do" they said about the food grown in school gardens.
They were happy to receive a salad of basil and cherry tomatoes, grown by grade 3s at Mutchmor & First Avenue's school gardens, while the students were on holiday.
At Elmwood's Fall Harvest Party, there was more than enough to go around. 20 of Elmwood's grade 7 girls harvested, prepared and enjoyed a feast from the gardens they build with their own hands. They shared their delicious garden salsa, extra tomatoes and herbs with teachers, parents, and still had two big bins of food to donate to Shepherds.
Herb Spiral at Heritage
Their teacher Derek cleared out the area.
While the students unloaded bricks from the car. They decided to make a human chain to transport the bricks more easily.Many hands make light work. The spiral was finished in no time!
Bridgehead and Growing Up Organic came out to help (ie supervise!). We are happy with the end results!Next spring, the plan is to plant all perennial herbs in the spiral to have a low-maintenance, decorative and delicious garden by the school's side entrance.
This weekend at Feast of Fields, Stoneface Dolly's teamed up with Heritage Academy to create a delicious dish from the garden.
Friday, July 23, 2010
How do the gardens grow?
Heritage Academy has a brand new shed thanks to funding from the Community Gardening Network, a dedicated teacher and community volunteer.
The bees are working hard pollinating the flowers on our tomato plants.
During my school garden visits, I pinch off the 'suckers' so that the plant's energy can go to making us more fruit, and less branches!
Elmwood School shows off it's first red tomato!
Heritage Academy's Nasturtiums are a beautiful and tasty addition to the garden. The pretty edible flowers have a spicy pepper taste, and can be used as a decorative garnish in salads, pastas or to decorate baking.
We grow our own beans so that we can have any variety we like. Elmwood likes them purple! This variety of purple bush beans was grown from Greta's Organic Seeds. Greta has an extensive variety heirloom and heritage seeds and starts. They can be ordered on the website Greta's Organic Gardens: www.seeds-organic.com.
Greta even has a few varieties of Popcorn.
The peas at Devonshire School are climbing toward the fence.
The grade 5s at Devonshire put in special root watering systems for each of their plants. It's made with a pop bottle and has a tiny spout at the bottom to allow water to slowly soak down around the roots.
Parent volunteers at Trilles des Bois come by to water the gardens.
And look at their gardens go!
The squash & cukes at Trilles des Bois loves to climb up the fence.
Woodroffe has got lots of big zucchinis too!
Woodroffe Elementary has lots of Swiss Chard - YUM!
Here is a tasty, easy way to prepare swiss chard:
Ingredients:
- 1 large bunch of fresh Swiss chard
- 1 small clove garlic, sliced
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp water
- Pinch of dried crushed red pepper
- 1 teaspoon butter
- Salt
Method
1 Rinse out the Swiss chard leaves thoroughly. Remove the toughest third of the stalk, discard or save for another recipe (such as this Swiss chard ribs with cream and pasta). Roughly chop the leaves into inch-wide strips.
2 Heat a saucepan on a medium heat setting, add olive oil, a few small slices of garlic and the crushed red pepper. Sauté for about a minute. Add the chopped Swiss chard leaves. Cover. Check after about 5 minutes. If it looks dry, add a couple tablespoons of water. Flip the leaves over in the pan, so that what was on the bottom, is now on the top. Cover again. Check for doneness after another 5 minutes (remove a piece and taste it). Add salt to taste, and a small amount of butter. Remove the swiss chard to a serving dish.
The Herb Spiral
This herb spiral was built at the SLOE Children's Garden on Main St. It was built with middle-school aged children as part of a 3 day food education program run by a Carleton University student.
The Herb Spiral is an easy to make Permaculture project. It maximizes space and creates ideal conditions for a variety of plants. Herbs that are planted at the bottom get shaded by the spiral walls and the higher plants. Herbs that need most sun are at the top of the spiral.
The spiral is built by layering straw, good composted manure, and lots of water. Over time, the straw will break down and give nutrients to the plants. It also makes lots of space for the roots.
For more information about herb spirals and a video of how to make your own, visit:
http://myurbangardener.com/herbspiral.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxGqUnHz-1A
Feel free to stop by the Children's Garden to enjoy & participate in the project. Playgroups are held on Saturday mornings for young children and parents. More information visit www.sustainablelivingottawaeast.ca.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Summer Maintenance
Growing Up Organic is here for support over the summer. I will be visiting each school garden every 2 weeks to check up on the gardens and see what needs to be done. Please join me for any of my garden visits. We might prune, plant, stake, harvest, build... whatever needs to be done!
Monday (July: 5th, July 19th, Aug. 9th, Aug. 23rd)
10-11 Cambridge 11:15-12:15 Heritage
12:30-1:30 Devonshire
Tuesday: (July 6th, July 20th, Aug. 10th, Aug. 24th)
1:15-2:15 Elmwood
2:30-3:30 Trillium / Trilles des Bois
Wednesday (july 7th, July 21st, Aug. 11th, Aug. 25th)
10-11 Mutchmor
11:15-12:15 First Avenue
**Children's garden?**
Thursday (July 8th, July 22nd, Aug. 12th, Aug. 26th)
10-11 Woodroffe HS
11:15-12:15 Woodroffe PS
1:30-2:30 Pinecrest
Friday - **with Jasen (July 9th, July 22nd, Aug. 13th, Aug. 27th)
(10:30-11:30 Lakeview)
(11:14-12:45 AY Jackson)
Hope to see you in the gardens!!!
Laura
Growing Up Organic Intern
A few young gardeners, for inspiration. Happy gardening!
Friday, June 11, 2010
SCHOOL GARDEN BIKE TOUR
Learn about what the high school and elementary students have been growing with us this year. Parents, teachers, community members. Everyone is welcome to participate in the leisure-paced bike tours.
Enjoy refreshments from Bridgehead Coffee, our school garden funder.
Morning Tour (East/Central) 11:00-2:00pm
Starting Location: Trilles Des Bois 135 Alice St (Near Vanier Pkwy & Beechwood)
This tour will showcase gardens at (Elmwood*), Trilles des Bois, Trillium, Mutchmor, First Avenue and Devonshire.
Afternoon Tour (Central/West) 2:30-5:00pm
Starting Location: Devonshire School 100 Breezehill (near Somerset and Preston)
This tour will showcase gardens at Devonshire, Heritage Academy, Woodroffe PS and Woodroffe HS.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
In the Gardens...
AY Jackson...
Woodroffe PS...
Devonshire PS...
and Youville Centre for Young Mothers.
Thanks to the Youth Eco Internship Program, I have had the pleasure of visiting all the school gardens to do lots of activities with students. We planned the gardens, studied soils, & planned for harvest.
We began early in March when it was chilly outdoors.
Starting seeds for our gardens,
Sprouting alfalfa & mung beans to eat,
And watching seeds grow. We learned about germination and the needs of plants.
At Elmwood, at Cambridge, Woodroffe PS. At Woodroffe HS & Mutchmor & at Heritage Academy...
Everyone is proud of their gardens...
Les maternelles à Trilles des Bois sont fiers de leur jardin!
And the Grade 11s at Woodroffe HS