Library Garden Book Walk

Among her many passions, Mandy Walsh, our part time school Librarian, has a special place in her heart our school garden. She’s co-coordinating the garden work with me this year and I couldn’t ask for a more innovative energetic partner. Pictured above is a page from the children’s book, Little Yellow Pear Tomatoes, by Demian Elaine Yumei. Mandy enlarged all of the pages of this wonderful book and created a “book walk” through our garden for the Kindergarten classes. This book  beautifully encourages the reader to examine the cycle of life in a way that is suitable for all ages.

Additionally, Mandy has taken advantage of other books to make garden connections. Pictured below are the ingredients for making salsa and sweet Mandy herself.

OK, one more thing: Our greenhouse is up and running thanks to Mandy’s husband, Chris, who tilled it for us last month. Thanks, Chris!

Hooray for fall greens!!

Winter Squash Harvest

What a great COLD morning for harvesting squash and sweet potatoes. These brave third graders and their teacher, Jennie Perry, were out harvesting at 8:30 when the temperature hovered at somewhere below 35 degrees. The cold didn’t stop their enthusiasm for digging up  the buried treasures that had been growing in our school garden all summer. Students  planted our  sweet potato slips in late June. This variety must really like Vermont soil. The size of these ‘sweets’ was breathtaking!

sweet potato harvest

our-sweet-potatoes

sweet-potatoes-for-the-kitchen

On their way back to class third graders dropped off their harvest at the kitchen, where our chef, Harley Sterling, will create something magical with them for school lunch.

5th graders harvest acorn squash

acorn squash-for-the-kitchen