Schoolyard Gardens Need Your Help This Summer

Whitewater Middle students plant seedlings in their garden.

River District News and Updates, by Rich Haag – May 29, 2012

School ends in a few weeks. If you know any teachers, you know that they crawl to the finish line with end-of-year tests and programs, final report cards and, often, a day or two accounting for and packing away mountains of books and learning materials.

So my figurative hat is off to 19 teachers at Whitewater Middle School and Whitewater Academy. They have volunteered to come back to school throughout the summer so that a new learning project is ready for their students come August.

That learning project, begun this spring, is several raised-bed vegetable gardens beside each school. Several teachers worked with the River District to plan the schoolyard gardens. The teachers and students planted them with the help of the Catawba River District and the guidance of Jeffie and Chris Hardin of Rivendell Farms.

The gardens are helping kids get hands-on lessons in math, science and good nutrition while they learn how to garden. Tomatoes, green and jalapeño peppers, squash and other summer vegetables are taking shape on previously barren schoolyards under the daily care of students, teachers and River District volunteers.

Several students have told me they are excited about coming back in August to pick vegetables and actually taste them.

The teachers who have volunteered to help tend the gardens throughout the heat of the summer know how important that experience could be. Their students already have gotten hands-on math and science lessons as they learned about gardens, laid out their plots and watched the small plants begin to mature under their care. In August they could get a great lesson in the benefits of eating fresh vegetables.

Of course that lesson will require that they have vegetables to pick. And THAT will depend on having many people willing to nurture the gardens this summer. Can you lend a hand?

We need more volunteer gardeners

Volunteer to tend the schoolyard gardens this summer. We can work around your own hectic schedule and plans for summer trips. And you will be able to share in the excitement next August when our students return to see their gardens, now brimming with fresh vegetables.

To learn more about volunteering, EMAIL Edna Chirico or call her at 704-562-8847.

To learn more about the River District’s Schoolyard Garden program, CLICK here.

About Rich Haag –  Rich gained his love for the outdoors while roaming the woods and river gorge near his upstate NY home. He has spent many vacations – one lasting eight weeks – camping with his wife, Karen, and their sons. Rich still roams the woods nearly every day, either walking with Karen at Reedy Creek Nature Preserve or cycling on the Mallard Creek Greenway.