Category Archives: Teaching

Yes, we’re still putting seeds in the ground

Posted on August 22, 2014 | Comments Off

Carrot seedlings at Albany High started 13 days ago. Not bad considering carrot seeds are notoriously slow to germinate.

I mentioned a patch of ground near Albany High to an administrator there the other day. I said that I hoped we could throw some compost there and drop some seeds in.

“Now?”

More than ask a question, this individual betrayed substantial surprise that we would still be putting seeds in the ground in late August. So, for the record, yes, now. Indeed, we put lettuce, spinach, arugula and radish seed in over Continue reading →

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Posted in Four-season growing, Planting, Teaching

School leaders see students growing in garden

Posted on August 18, 2014 | Comments Off

A big thanks to our friend, retired Albany school district teacher George Benson, for a link to a television report about a school garden initiative in Kansas City, Mo. Please take a look.

Quite hearteningly, educators talk about many of the same reasons that we offer for growing plants, and especially edible plants. It can foster eating healthier Continue reading →

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Posted in School garden, Teaching, Uncategorized

Teaching and learning as onlookers take note

Posted on August 10, 2014 | Comments Off

Our garden at Myers Middle School is fairly hidden behind the school building. The new garden at Albany High School, however, is about as visible as can be. It’s just inside the school property from North Main Avenue. It’s just across the interior road from soccer fields, where hundreds and hundreds of families gather Saturday mornings in the spring and fall. We’re in full view of passers-by on Main. And most of the high school faculty and staff drive right by the six raised Continue reading →

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Posted in School garden, Teaching

Fresh from the garden, salad is a lunchtime hit

Posted on June 8, 2014 | Comments Off

Jahiaire Byrd digs into salad greens grown in the garden at Myers Middle School.

Fresh greens went quickly on Friday.

We hit an important milestone on Friday: The school lunch program served our produce in the cafeteria. We harvested quite a load of leafy greens and radishes on Thursday afternoon. The food services folks made a salad with it. And the students at Myers Middle School scarfed it up!

We will definitely do this again. In Continue reading →

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Posted in School garden, Soil, Teaching

Summertime Garden Club extends the season

Posted on May 22, 2014 | Comments Off

The school calendar does not synch up well with the growing season around these parts. So that is a challenge for project that seeks to create learning opportunities with plants. We address the challenge in a couple of ways.

We start seeds and grow plants under lights indoors. We equip one classroom at Continue reading →

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Posted in Four-season growing, School garden, Teaching

Friends’ support nurtures growth in garden initiative

Posted on May 21, 2014 | Comments Off

As we continue to expand our garden, learn more about nurturing plants through the cold months, reach out to classroom teachers and reach out to sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students, I want to note how much your support means to our effort and suggest a couple of specific says that you can help.

First, would you consider joining our summer garden watering crew? In the best of possible worlds, friends of the Vegetable Project will commit to watering the Continue reading →

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Posted in Four-season growing, School garden, Teaching

Family Day in the Garden on Saturday

Posted on May 11, 2014 | Comments Off

We invite folks to Family Days in the Garden twice each spring and once each fall. And the second spring date is coming right up – Saturday, May 17, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Please join us if you can and even for just a short while.

Please also note, however, that although we really value the building skills and Continue reading →

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Posted in School garden, Uncategorized

Opportunities abound for getting hands dirty

Posted on April 27, 2014 | Comments Off

The past week was an exciting one for Albany schools folks who see great learning opportunities in getting hands dirty. And it is a pleasure to know some of the people at a couple of the schools and have a chance to compare notes with them.

You may have read in the Times Union a couple of days ago about a wonderful vegetable garden project at Arbor Hill Elementary School that is led by Yusef Continue reading →

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Posted in School garden, Teaching, Uncategorized

Contributing to teaching in our community

Posted on April 10, 2014 | Comments Off

It was a great pleasure to be a part of a Project Learning Tree workshop for Albany teachers and College of Saint Rose teaching students two weeks ago. The workshop was on school gardening and we hosted it at Myers Middle School. Great partners in the day-long program were the College of Saint Rose, the Albany Fund for Education and the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

Some of the response to our part in the workshop is enough to make us think we Continue reading →

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Posted in School garden, Teaching

Starting seeds in classrooms on the way

Posted on March 25, 2014 | Comments Off

Mache started in our greenhouse in October is undaunted by many sub-zero nights this winter.

We are proud partners in an event this weekend that offers an opportunity to build more school relationships. We are hosting and participating in a workshop on Saturday for teachers in the Albany district and teaching students at the College of Saint Rose. The workshop, presented by Project Learning Tree, which supports environmental education nationwide, will focus on school gardening.

We will show folks around the space that we tend and talk about challenges and Continue reading →

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Posted in Teaching, Uncategorized