Baddeck, Nova Scotia
Please describe your garden, is it raised beds, in the ground, do you have a greenhouse?
We have 4 raised beds.
What vegetables/fruit do you grow in your garden? What do you have a difficult time growing in your school garden?
This year we grew carrots, radish, kale, tomatoes, beans (several varieties), swiss chard, corn, cucumber, lettuce. The kale didn't do well, nor did the tomatoes. The corn grew, but didn't produce anything.
Why did your school decide to add a school garden?
We just thought it was important to teach kids where food comes from and how things grow. So many kids nowadays think food = something processed.
What classes participate in the garden, what subjects are taught in the garden?
Grades 1, 4, 5, 6 & 10. We try to incorporate the garden topic into some science, math, and even social studies and LA.
Who manages the garden day to day? Who manages the garden over the Summer break?
The teachers of these same grades tend to the garden and take their students out to do things in the garden, such as manually tilling, planting, watering, weeding, harvesting and preparing for the winter.
The first summer we had parents managing the garden, but it was hit or miss with the watering and we didn't have a very good yield. Although it was also our first time planting and the soil was very poor. Last summer Dori tended the garden and the maintenance man put the sprinkler on most days. We had a much better year this time.
What do you do with the harvest from your garden? Do you have a harvest celebration? Do you use it in the cafeteria, or culinary classes? Do you donate some of the produce?
This year, the Grades 1, 4 & 5 harvested a few items that grew and we shared the carrots & radish so everyone could try some. The Grade 6s made pizza & salad with their crop.
We don't have enough to donate to anything, yet 😊
Do you have community involvement? Do you have parents and volunteers? Have been able to source other funding to help your garden grow?
Yes, there are several parents on board, who have donated their time and also bushes & manure.
We are currently working on getting more funding.
What are your future plans for the school garden?
We'd like to add a few more beds and also get a greenhouse.
Any words of encouragement/tips for a school starting a school garden?
It seemed like a big undertaking at the beginning, but it wasn't so bad. Now it's starting to be fun, as we are learning how to improve the soil to increase our harvest. It was so nice to return to school this September and see a wonderful beautiful green garden growing right outside our school! The kids were super excited!
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