Elevated Bed Revision

It seems the 2X2 cross pieces for the elevated beds in post 1, 2, and 3 were not quite enough to support the weight of a cubic yard of soil. I noticed that one was sagging badly on July 17th. I thought that I would have to look into that on Sunday afternoon when I got back to the church. Well by Sunday afternoon all of the squash plants were either buried under the soil that pushed out the bottom of the box or were sitting on top of the Read More …

All About Worms

All About Worms Lesson Plans for:  k-2 Subject Areas: Science, Math, Language Arts Goal: To teach students about worms and how the contribute to the garden. They will explore worms and what they need to thrive. Time Needed For Lesson: 3 Hours (including extension) Ideal Season: Spring, Summer, Fall Materials: -Night crawlers or red Wiggler worms (1 per student) -Worm anatomy chart -Magnifying glass (1 per student) -Rulers (1 per student) -Paper and pencils Procedure: Read: An Earthworm’s Life by John Himmelman and Earthworms by Clair Llewellyn to students before Read More …

Adaptive Gardening

At the end of a gardening session do you slowly rise to your feet, stretch, and feel the pains that toiling in the soil bring to your body? How many of us take the time to think about how the same activity level would affect a person with limited flexibility, one who is an amputee, or a person who is wheelchair bound? This summer I have been privileged to look at these issues from an up close and personal perspective. When we are young, bending, reaching, hauling heavy items, and Read More …

In Honor of Herbs

I love growing herbs. They have so many great qualities to recommend them. They can be grown anywhere, even in a small space, such as a kitchen window. For the most part, they aren’t fussy, are easy to process and store, and only a few plants can supply you with wonderful flavor from your garden year round. I like to plant them in pots on the porch. They are usually the very first harvest, as leaves can be used as soon as there are enough to spare. I pinch a Read More …