We are very excited to announce that The Green Village Initiative is planning on offering a workshop for parents and educators this Spring, date TBD.
The workshop will feature experienced garden educators from local school gardens speaking about ways to incorporate edible school gardens into the CT curriculum. We will also provide support material for suggested lessons and projects. We will keep you posted ....
Please see resources listed in this blog for more information on garden activities.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Darien School Garden Schedule
An update on the garden schedule for Darien....
Ox Ridge: Constructed in November 2011.
Hindley: Waiting for final sign-off.Construction in April.
Holmes: Waiting for final sign-off. Construction in April.
Tokeneke: Waiting for final sign-off. Construction in April.
Royle: Early planning stages. Estimated construction in April.
Middlesex Middle School: Early planning stages. Hopeful construction summer 2012.
Garden committees- please let us know as your plans develop.
Thanks!
New Garden at Ox Ridge.......
Seed Starting
It feels like spring these days and it's almost time to start seeds! I plan on starting my tomatoes in mid March for my first fruit. I'll have to have several potted tomatoes in my living room window before setting them in the garden in May for tomatoes in June.
For our first planting in the schools Whole Foods in Darien has generously offered to donate seeds and seedlings. I would strongly encourage any school families with a love of gardening to start seeds at home to donate to your school's garden
once we break ground and have our first planting celebration.
If you would like to be a seed starter for your school (or maybe even share with all schools...)please update this blog with your information and what you plan to grow. Thanks!
Going forward the schools will learn about seed saving and seed starting as part of our sustainable garden program.So exciting!
For our first planting in the schools Whole Foods in Darien has generously offered to donate seeds and seedlings. I would strongly encourage any school families with a love of gardening to start seeds at home to donate to your school's garden
once we break ground and have our first planting celebration.
If you would like to be a seed starter for your school (or maybe even share with all schools...)please update this blog with your information and what you plan to grow. Thanks!
Going forward the schools will learn about seed saving and seed starting as part of our sustainable garden program.So exciting!
Monday, January 23, 2012
What's Happening in Darien?
The Darien Edible School Garden Initiative began two years ago and the momentum of our ever growing group has produced great results. Before starting the gardens, we worked to procure funding for all 5 elementary schools to ensure parity. Over $46,000 in funding and in-kind donations was generously donated by local businesses and foundations.
Our first garden was built at Ox Ridge in November, and the process has served as a model for the other elementary schools. Each school has assembled a group of interested parents to shepherd the project from planning to installation. It is our plan to have the teachers to use the gardens as outdoor classrooms and to allow the program to evolve organically. In neighboring towns, the gardens have either been solely part of the curriculum or have had various degrees of parent-driven classroom participation. In the summer, volunteer families will assume the responsibility of caring for the garden for a week at a time, enjoying harvesting rights for the entire season.All four remaining elementary schools will build gardens either this spring or by the beginning of the next school year.
Along with our incredibly generous sponsors and committed parent teams, we especially thank two people who have been instrumental in making this happen. Thank you to John Rechi, the principal at Ox Ridge School has taken on the responsibility of communicating our progress to the other elementary school principals. And thank you to Matt Byrnes the new assistant super intendant of secondary schools who has been a champion of our project and has presented our plans to an enthusiastic BOE.
Our first garden was built at Ox Ridge in November, and the process has served as a model for the other elementary schools. Each school has assembled a group of interested parents to shepherd the project from planning to installation. It is our plan to have the teachers to use the gardens as outdoor classrooms and to allow the program to evolve organically. In neighboring towns, the gardens have either been solely part of the curriculum or have had various degrees of parent-driven classroom participation. In the summer, volunteer families will assume the responsibility of caring for the garden for a week at a time, enjoying harvesting rights for the entire season.All four remaining elementary schools will build gardens either this spring or by the beginning of the next school year.
Along with our incredibly generous sponsors and committed parent teams, we especially thank two people who have been instrumental in making this happen. Thank you to John Rechi, the principal at Ox Ridge School has taken on the responsibility of communicating our progress to the other elementary school principals. And thank you to Matt Byrnes the new assistant super intendant of secondary schools who has been a champion of our project and has presented our plans to an enthusiastic BOE.
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