Hay for the cows? Not on this school farm

Posted on July 21, 2014 | Comments Off on Hay for the cows? Not on this school farm

Potato towerPotato at potato towerWhat in the world are those straw cylinders in the accompanying pictures? In simplest terms, they’re our latest experiment at the garden at Myers Middle School. They’re potato towers. And the leaves beginning to poke out the sides are from potato plants within.

Cremilda Dias, who spurs us to give many unfamiliar approaches a try, says she didn’t invent this. And indeed, a quick Google search for “potato tower” yields 13 million results. Still, chances are this is new to most of us.

Construction is simple. A piece of wire fencing is pulled into a cylinder and Continue reading →

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Posted in Compost, School garden

An experiment in human nature, of a sort

Posted on July 7, 2014 | Comments Off on An experiment in human nature, of a sort
Squash1-AHS
If anything seems to attract thieves’ notice, it’s big showy fruiting vegetables, such as the squash that will soon appear on these beautiful plants.

The new garden at Albany High is in quite an exposed location. That is to say that, among other things, that trouble-makers must see it all the time. Presumably people who damage things that don’t belong to them drive and bike and walk up and down North Main Avenue. So what were the organizers of this garden thinking? And is it going to be safe without a fence around it?

The first question is easy to answer. In addition to lots of sun, the site is near Continue reading →

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Posted in School garden, Science

Taking the long view on Garden Club kids

Posted on June 30, 2014 | Comments Off on Taking the long view on Garden Club kids

One regular in our after-school Garden Club is really squeamish about little critters that growers regularly encounter. That is to say that she shrieks with real dismay when something flies near her. And don’t even suggest that she touch the soil.

Another regular declines every opportunity to taste things that we grow. He says with great certainty, “I don’t like to eat things that are green.”

So what should we make of these students? We could indignantly tell the first, “Clearly, you’re not cut out to be a gardener. Maybe you should join some other club.” We might similarly scold the second about his eating ways.

We don’t say any such thing, however. We welcome these great kids and think that a positive experience is the best way to bring them around to the pleasures of getting hands dirty and eating greens. These kids are a long-term investment.

—Bill Stoneman

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Posted in School garden

Albany schools gardeners making summer plans

Posted on June 16, 2014 | Comments Off on Albany schools gardeners making summer plans

The Garden Club at Myers Middle School continues to dig in the dirt all summer long.  And Myers won’t be the only Albany district school where school gardeners have a chance to get together. Organizers of a new garden at Albany High School will meet weekly and, as at Myers, welcome friends – both those who have met and those who have not yet met – to stop by and pick up a tool.

The Myers Garden Club: the Summer Edition will meet Tuesday evenings, Continue reading →

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Posted in Four-season growing, School garden

Fresh from the garden, salad is a lunchtime hit

Posted on June 8, 2014 | Comments Off on Fresh from the garden, salad is a lunchtime hit
Jahiaire Byrd digs into salad greens grown in the garden at Myers Middle School.

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

 

Fresh greens went quickly on Friday.

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 on Summertime Garden Club extends the season

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 on Friends’ support nurtures growth in garden initiative

As we continue to expand our garden, learn more boxtops logo2about 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

Winter rye experiment results due in soon

Posted on May 13, 2014 | Comments Off on Winter rye experiment results due in soon

Winter rye getting tallWe will soon learn the results of an important experiment. We will find out whether planting winter rye last fall made our hard-packed clay soil any more workable. Most of the grass (pictured above when it was about two inches tall) is more than a foot and a half high now. It’s known for sending roots especially deep into the ground and loosening compact soil as it does.

We planted a strip about 100 feet long by eight feet wide. We need to mow it Continue reading →

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Posted in Soil

Family Day in the Garden on Saturday

Posted on May 11, 2014 | Comments Off on Family Day in the Garden on Saturday

DiggingWe 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 on Opportunities abound for getting hands dirty

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