Elementary school prepares for spring organic garden groundbreaking
|
Spring is here, and with it, a heightened level of excitement about the new organic garden that will come to life at the elementary school.
As reported in the winter Panorama, students will join staff and community volunteers in building and planting 28 raised garden beds in a courtyard near the school’s library. Every classroom will have one four-by-four-foot plot to use. A student contest to name the garden is in progress.
Groundbreaking to install the garden framework and begin planting is expected in May. In the meantime, extensive planning has generated grants and other donations to give the project a strong start, said project director Christine Merritt.
Grants for the project include $3,000 from the Rural Education Advisory Committee, $1,300 from the Mount Markham Foundation, $500 from Kids Growing Food, $375 from Bassett Rural Partners, $250 from the Upper Unadilla Valley Association.
Millions of seeds have arrived, courtesy of Cornell University and the America the Beautiful Fund, the latter also having donated gardening gloves. Equipment has been ordered to start growing seeds indoors, and efforts are being made to procure a garden shade structure. Bayer Advanced has donated gardening information resources and rose bushes for a memorial garden.
Community residents and parents have pledged their help with the garden, but additional volunteers are welcome and needed.
To donate time, money or supplies, call Ms. Merritt at 315-822-6689 (home) or 315-822-2840 (school), or e-mail her at chrismerritt3491@yahoo.com |
|