The Latest Dirt - July 2023

School Gardens Impact Our Communities

By Kate Verhoef

Now that my time as School Garden Co–Lead is coming to an end, I’ve been thinking about all the different ways that the School Gardens team has impacted youth, parents, educators and school communities over the last couple of years. There have been one–off but helpful visits to check and repair irrigation systems, consult on pruning, or determine what non–human animal is chomping leaves.

There have been guest talks at 4–H and Girl Scout meetings all over the county on topics such as growing fruit trees and planting for pollinators. We’ve arranged for speakers to give lessons on seed propagation to middle schoolers and organized STEAM workshops for kids K–5. And then there’s always the fun of delivering leftover plants from Our Garden’s big sales to grateful garden educators.

There have also been more substantial requests for help too. We’ve risen to such challenges as designing a sensory garden for children; mentoring adults who are veteran teachers but novice gardeners; helping fifth graders create a habitat garden and make it their own; and even finding that *perfect* watering can for young hands. FYI: it’s one that’s transparent, spill–proof, lightweight, and graduated (in both gallons and liters.)

Then, of course, there’s the joy of helping a school community build a garden from the ground up. I recently had the pleasure of returning to Valle Verde Elementary in Walnut Creek about a year and a half after completing our consultation with them. How gratifying to see that they’ve implemented all of our suggestions and that the school garden has become a hub of activity, education and fun for the entire school community.

Contra Costa County is huge. We serve schools and youth programs in every part of it. Now that I’m stepping down, School Gardens lead Pamela Austin will need your help and support. So when a request for a School Gardens volunteer appears in Collaborative Tools, and it just happens to be in your neck of the woods, won’t you please answer the call?

Thank you all.