So, the garden is doing wonderfully so far. The peas are growing, the carrots are beginning to sprout, and in the greenhouse things are blooming. The kids have been working on building trellises for the peas to cling to as they grow tall. 

A Sprouting Carrot

Strawberries Beginning to Grow

The strawberries, surprisingly enough, have already started to grow fruit. Their little white flowers have curled into themselves and have begun the process to some tasty little niblets. 

Look! Support! Hooray!

Meanwhile, the boys have been building trellises for the pea plants. A trellis is basically a way for plants to grow upwards while clinging to a structure for the sake of structure. Pea plants, being unable to support their own weight due to small stem structure, they curl around whatever they can find, like a vine.

Steve, the Strong Man, and his Raised Bed

Not only that, but Steve and Max have been working on a raised bed, basically another field we can work in. Toby says we're going to be growing tomatoes in them. A raised bed also makes it harder for weeds to grow, because it is higher than the weeds are. Take that, weeds! We'll be pouring in the suitable soil for the tomatoes when it's time to plant them- how exciting!

With so much happening at the garden, keep an eye on Village School's backyard, or else before you know it we'll have a while orchard out here!

Lisa

Planting Plot 4 with Beans, Broccoli, Lettuce and Cucumber!

Max and Steve at the Garden

 The students measure out the land to plant the seedlings! Max's back was sore from all that effort, but the plants sure are happy in their roomier homes. The effort of the few pleases the many small seedlings. 

Right After Planting

 After extensive measuring, digging and planting our final plot is planted! The seedlings are happy and are sucking in sunlight as this is being typed. Within a few months we should have a harvest of veggies in our garden! Patience is a virtue, despite how hard it is to perform.

Closeups! Strike your poses!

 Above we have red leaf lettuce, beans, and broccoli!

That camera is loving it!

 A nice and healthy broccoli plant! Doesn't it look absolutely overjoyed? If that plant had a face it would be ear to ear with a smile, so you could count all the (0) teeth it has!

The completed plot

The 4 plots are planted and fences...Now we wait for the harvest (with some hard work along the way)! We have  weeding, pest removal, watering, and thinning to do, all for the sake of an organic garden. No wonder such things are more expensive! We can't just put weed-b-gone everywhere after all!

-Lisa

Planting the Topsy-Turvey with Tomatoes and Eggplants

Seen here, plant surrounded by people like mothers to a newborn baby.

 We just opened up the Topsy Turvey, vertical planter. As its name states, the goal of a Topsy Turvey's is designed to produce more fruit from being upside down. The first step is to plant the tomato plant at the bottom and fill the  device with soil, so that the plants are forced to live in a state of inertness before they find out that their roots go against gravity. This doesn't kill or weaken the plant at all, and in fact they start growing to the sun almost immediately!

Topsy Turvey hidden from view. Not seen: Toby drilling a hole to hang it from. BZZZZZZZZ...

 Make sure to moisten the soil before adding it, so that the roots have plenty of nutrients to grow as they try to figure out what just happened to their world of roots down, plant up. However, unlike most things with brains, these plants figured out how to thrive upside-down within two or three days. Pretty adaptable! How would you like it if you had suddenly found yourself living upside-down?

Not seen: The plants screaming in terror before figuring out nothing was wrong.  Then we had awkward silence.

 It takes a team to make a strong topsy turvey! This thing weighed at least forty to fifty pounds. Here Amanda is carrying the device while Lisa is preparing another plant for the trauma of an upside-down living space. With water, the thing weighed even more!

There are only six plants added, despite at least nine holes.

The end result...A topsy turvey full of fruit in a month or so! Here we have two Japanese eggplant plants, two strawberry plants, and two cherry tomato plants. They've adapted quite well, despite the struggles to shove them in a world of vertigo. Hopefully they'll be living a world where people walk on the green ceiling without a problem!

-Lisa

Preparing bed 4 for plants!

Its April 27th and the Farmers Market students are tilling the soil and adding peat-moss to improve the moisture holding abilities of our soil. Its hard work but the students enjoy getting their hands dirty in the sun!

Beds 1 and 2 are complete and the fence has been installed!

 Last week we started by marking out the first bed. We measured the rows and marked them off with string. We planted Broccoli, Carrots, Radish and Lettuce!

 After marking out the rows and sowing the seeds we put up our fence to prevent rabbits from spoiling our crops!

 Beds 1 and 2 have been completed! The students placed rocks to hold down the fence and prevent unwanted visitors from creeping into the beds!

During the week of April 4th we mixed peat moss into the bed and turned over the soil to a depth of 12 inches. This will allow the roots to take hold and grow!

The Village School Garden! We have our composter on the left, our 4 beds in the center and our greenhouse behind the beds! We hope to have our vegetables ready to eat by June!  Beds 1 and 2 have been planted and fenced and we hope to complete bed 3 on Thursday!

The Raised Bed Cedar Planks have arrived!

We just received the delivery of 1x6 Cedar Planks for our raised beds. Before we start constructing them we need to learn a little bit about raised bed gardening.

Check out this link! Raised Bed Gardening! 

 On March 30th we prepared our  first bed. The students tilled, raked, marked out rows and planted Broccoli, Radishes, and Carrots. We ran out of time to sow our lettuce seeds though.

Once the weather clears up this week we will finish planting this bed.