Hare today, Gone tomorrow: Grafting to Replace Apple Trees Decimated by Hares.

Hare damaged apple tree

The hare population seems to be booming in Fairbanks. This winter, some hares were able to walk right over the fences and completely girdle some fruit trees by eating the bark   Girdling happens when the phloem, the inner most layer of the bark, is removed from the tree. The job of the phloem is to conduct materials created in the leaves (for example, sugar) down to the roots of the tree. Over time, girdling results in the death of the parts of the tree above which the bark has Read More …

Growing Media Literacy with Garden Foods

Subject Area: Language Arts Appropriate Grade Level: 3rd, 4th or 5th grade Ideal season for lesson: Late Summer, Early Fall Suggested materials: Magazine and newspaper ads (or access to the Internet) Magazine and newspaper articles Art materials An assortment of vegetables, at least some of them garden fresh. What you use will depend on availability and the preferences and needs of your group. Goal and outcomes: Alaska Anchor Standards For Reading, Grades K-12 Integration of Knowledge and Ideas Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually Read More …

One Species, Many Vegetables – An Introduction to Artificial Selection

Brassica oleracea — An introduction to artificial selection Subject area: Biological Science — 6-8th grade Season: Best in early fall when Brussels sprouts attached to stem would be available and whole plants could be brought into classroom. Could be taught any time of year using vegetables from the grocery store. Time: This lesson is a one class period introduction to the concept of artificial selection. Suggested Materials: Samples of vegetables. Ideally these would include broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, kohlrabi and romanesco. If possible it would be Read More …