Help Collective Roots grow and thrive!
Garden Based Education Program Update: January 2010
K-5 Program:
Clifford Elementary
This has been an exciting winter at Clifford Elementary. Parents have volunteered to assist during class workshops, and they participated in a garden workday on December 6th.
The Bhas family (Bay View Greenwaste Management Co.) donated and delivered many yards of mulch and compost for the school garden.
Noel Chamberlain (Nexgen Builders) has completely overseen the greenhouse project and built the new greenhouse, which is almost ready for use. Nino Perrone loaned us a tractor and helped with all the heavy grading and Scott Soden of Artscapes built the tables and put in the irrigation. A big Thank you to all of the wonderful parents who have helped make our Clifford garden program so successful!
Girls to Women
Girls to Women recently painted beautiful signs to decorate their garden space. The garden is growing strong with newly planted cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and bok choi!
EPACS
Our 12-week garden classes wrapped up the end of December. Students played garden jeopardy to review their knowledge over the year--it was incredible how much everyone learned! The celebration ended with the winning team riding the bicycle blender and making smoothies for their classmates to enjoy.
Garden Club
Garden Clubbers recently harvested the delicious citrus off our fruit trees and made fresh squeezed juice. They learned how beneficial Vitamin C can be to our immune system, especially during these winter months.
EPACS Middle School Elective
In December, students in Garden Elective went on a field trip to Hidden Villa! Educators at Hidden Villa lead students on adventures in soil investigations, cooked up yummy kale chips, hiked up into the Los Altos Hills, and visited with the Hidden Villa animals. What a way to finish off the end of the quarter! . . . Before it was over, however, students concluded their ongoing research on Bay Lands plants, animals and human impacts. They worked hard to develop a Bay Lands educational board to share with other students, teachers, parents and community members!
After winter break, a new group of middle school students started Garden Class. With the support of Collective Roots new AmeriCorp member, Matt Harnack, the quarter started off with a study of all the citrus in season this time of year . . . and the harvesting of 20 pounds of citrus from the EPACS garden!
