New Minas Elementary School

Video

About our Garden

Please describe your garden, is it raised beds, in the ground, do you have a greenhouse?

Our garden is made up of fourteen 4'x8' raised beds, one larger 10x15' raised bed, and two 40' long rows of perennial rhubarb, herbs, blueberries, blackberries, and haskap berries.

What grade levels worked in the garden and did you or another teacher link some of your curriculum outcomes to the garden?

There's a mix of students that participate - we have a 'garden club' that any student can participate in during recess, and some classes that use the garden to deliver curriculum-linked lessons. Some examples are our Grade 3 classes (outcomes: 'Learners will analyse soil in the environment' and 'Learners will investigate plants in the environment').

What vegetables/fruit do you grow in your garden? What do you have a difficult time growing in your school garden?

We grow a mix of perennial (blueberries, blackberries, and haskap berries) and annual (tomatoes, corn, zucchini, butternut squash, beans) crops. We struggle more with the annual crops, as we have a hard time finding volunteers to care for the garden over the summer.

Why did your school decide to add a school garden?

To allow students hands-on learning experiences linked to the NS curriculum.

What classes participate in the garden, what subjects are taught in the garden?

There's a mix of students that participate - we have a 'garden club' that any student can participate in during recess, and some classes that use the garden to deliver curriculum-linked lessons. Some examples are our Grade 3 classes (outcomes: 'Learners will analyse soil in the environment' and 'Learners will investigate plants in the environment').

Who manages the garden day to day? Who manages the garden over the Summer break?

Day-to-day: Typically a staff member. Over the summer: typically volunteers, who may be staff or parents/caregivers at the school.

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?

Our perennial berries are harvested, frozen, and used in muffins made for our in-school universal breakfast program.
Our annual crops have not been very successful (due to care challenges over the summer and harvesting by other individuals). We had planned to host a fall harvest celebration where we served a spaghetti dinner with sauce made from garden ingredients, but that did not happen.

Do you have community involvement? Do you have parents and volunteers? Have been able to source other funding to help your garden grow?

Some, but not many volunteers. It's difficult to fond volunteers to commit over the summer months. Our PTA provided a stipend one year for the volunteers, but finding that money every year has been a challenge.

What are your future plans for the school garden?

Some, but not many volunteers. It's difficult to fond volunteers to commit over the summer months. Our PTA provided a stipend one year for the volunteers, but finding that money every year has been a challenge.

Any words of encouragement/tips for a school starting a school garden?

Do it! Even though it's a lot of work, it's worth it! The joy children have when they get to harvest the produce they've grown themselves is worth all the work. It's so important for children to know where food comes from.