Students from Union 122 Schools, Woodland and New Sweden, recently planted their Community School Gardens. Planning and planting the school gardens was a cooperative effort among students, staff, the Woodland PTA and other community members. This is the first year for a school garden at the Woodland School and the second year for the New Sweden School.
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Fifth and sixth-grade students from the New Sweden School take part in spring planting as they work sowing seeds in their school’s garden.
Volunteers in the community provided tilling services as well as soil amendments. The schools were also very fortunate to receive seedling donations for their gardens from Noyes Flower and Plante Shoppe, Stokdijk Gardens and Flowers, Down to Earth Gardens and the Presque Isle High School Educational Farm.
According to Colette Thompson, Union 122 school health coordinator, the school gardens have a multi-purpose with a vision to make a real difference to children’s health. The school gardens aim to teach children how to grow vegetables, encourage families to plant a garden, help children understand what makes a healthy diet, and to show children the link between healthy food and life-long health. In addition, when school resumes in the fall, aspects of the school garden can be integrated into the regular classroom curriculum depending on classroom teacher preferences. There are endless possibilities to connect learning with gardening.
The schools staff are asking for volunteer students and families to participate in the upkeep of the gardens during the summer months. This is an opportunity for high school students to earn community service hours.
Upkeep of the garden will occur at the Woodland School every Wednesday from 6-7 p.m. beginning June 10 through August 19, and at the New Sweden School every Monday from 6-7 p.m. beginning June 15 through August 19.
General maintenance will consist of weeding. Volunteers may bring their own small garden tools but it is not absolutely necessary to have garden tools. It is more important to have people and children to help with the weeding. Other useful items might include garden gloves or bug spray. Again, those items are optional. Also volunteer gardeners should wear old shoes or boots if preferred. If raining or thunder and lightening are present – there will be no weeding. Participants should use their best judgment and act accordingly. If the weather is overcast and cloudy, garden weeding will continue, said Thompson.
Both schools look forward to returning to school in late August to find bountiful gardens. Harvest from the school gardens will be used in the school meals programs as well as included in the menu for the third annual Harvest School Lunches (TBA).
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Students in grades 5 and 6 at the Woodland Consolidated School assist with the school’s garden by planting pepper seedlings.
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This Woodland School student was busy recently planting tomatoes as part of the School Union 122 gardening project.
