10/24/2021
This week LVHS students in Eddie Brown's Environmental Studies class "put the School Garden to bed" after working in the garden every week since school started up for the fall 2021 semester. It's been an eventful gardening season, with an abundant harvest of many varieties of fruits, vegetables, seeds and herbs, including garlic, potatoes, cabbages, carrots, endives, cabbages, tomatillos, currents, tomatoes, pears, basil, sage, parsley, sunflower seeds, summer and winter squash, arugula, kales and more! Flowers grew in profusion, attracting honey and bumble bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. The students took produce back to the classroom and distributed more to their families and neighbors.
Our thanks goes to Todd Wanner, and his spring semester class for getting the garden prepared and planted, to the school and county maintenance staff for keeping the surroundings mowed and trimmed, the school administration for their support and community gardeners Rose Nelson and Cedar Barager for assistance in many tasks and projects.
Highs and lows: we had to madly rush to harvest 100+ pounds of pears while a bear repeatedly tore down the pear tree branches, until only a skeleton remains. The green pears, while on the small side, did ripen to sweet deliciousness.
The garden continues to impress with it's vitality and productivity and holds great promise for involving students and community in garden-based, hands-on education. Wouldn't it be wonderful if more community involvement materialized in the 2022 season? Come-on folks, let's make that happen!
Thanks,
Ilene Mandelbaum
