Real Work

Fourth graders work on top of the mulch pile

Managing the care of a one-acre school garden can be daunting. I love this work, and that makes it easier, but I certainly can't do it alone. Volunteer work days in our garden help keep things in order from season to season, and help tackle projects too big for one person... and bring together awesome people from our community -- and I'm so thankful for that support. However, I've struggled with how to incorporate the students in the general care and upkeep of our garden -- their garden. It's hard incorporating 25 enthusiastic children in a work project in the garden without any other adult support (even with additional support it can be a challenge!). Students do help plant seeds, water plants, harvest... but what about bigger jobs like mulching, weeding, turning compost, building structures. How do I get them ALL involved?

Well, this school year I decided to make it happen. And it has been chaotic. And joyful. And overall, a phenomenal success. Students LOVE working. They truly enjoy doing hands on, meaningful tasks, and seeing a project's impact in the garden. I frequently explain to visitors and other teachers that it might not look pretty -- it really is chaos... but I'm embracing it, and it's been good.  I see my students working together and problem solving, working hard --using their hands, their muscles, their minds.  And yes, I see them arguing and struggling, getting dirty and sometimes making poor choices -- it's part of the process.

Take a look at some of the things fourth graders have been up to:

Building bean poles -- to support the Scarlet Runner bean seedlings they have sprouted in the greenhouse. 

Sifting compost. Next step: spread the compost around our new pumpkin patch area. 

All the recent rain = SO many weeds! Students worked on weeding the apple orchard.

morning light & steam on the mulch pile

Students make sure everyone has a job

Teamwork to push heavy wheelbarrows filled with mulch

Spreading mulch