It's Dirt-y Work!

As you know, we won a $250 grant from Slow Foods for a raised garden bed.  So, not only are we planting in the school garden plot (we're watching our radishes grow), but we are also planting in our new raised bed near the 5th grade condos.  This is how the area looked after 5th grade Science teacher, Mrs. Swidosky, and her crew got rid of all the grass and tilled the soil.

Last week Mrs. Ruark covered our area with a black paper to keep the grass and weeds at bay and put the bed frame together.  Today the dirt arrived from Davey Nurseries.  The nursery makes its own soil from a large compost of tree chips.  We understand that they make many donations to school gardens across the county.

After the wheelbarrows of dirt were poured into the bed, the children loved going through the dirt and removing any big roots.  Now really - how many children get to play in the dirt in the name of Science?!  

Mrs. Ruark INSISTED that we needed to add a few worms to aerate the soil.  Some of the children got very excited, but others wanted to know where the gloves were to pick up the worms and a few absolutely would not touch the worms.  No way - no how!

Next week we begin planting in this bed.  We're thinking about a salad garden - Yum!  Now doesn't that sound delicious?!