Grass in the Garden

Something new is afoot  ( or under foot to be precise) in the garden this summer ! Longfellow garden has gone Au natural.  Part of the evolving attitude about our home environments is considering the role of perfectly manicured lawns. Let’s face it, lawns are a hassle to maintain, especially if you aspire to a picture-perfect green carpet.  At the Longfellow garden with it’s sandy soil and blistering sun… beautiful lush grass has never had much of a chance. 

     But what is the alternative ? The habitat provided by a wilder, in fact wildflower laced lawn can provide a valuable wildlife habitat, especially for bees and butterflies. In short not cutting the grass this year left the grass taller, full of wildflowers, and even more beneficial to wildlife. The number of honey bees and other insects working hard in the garden over the summer seemed to increase as the clover and Queen Anne’s Lace were plentiful. As the sunflowers begin to bloom it's become a pollen party every day. The mower, sidelined until late August, will rev-up in advance of students return. 

Some of the advantages of  our “wilder” lawns are:

 They support a wider range of beneficial insects than conventionally managed lawns and gardens.

 These insects provide food for birds, and pond life. 

 Ladybugs and other predators insects spread out from the wild flower area to eat greenfly in the rest of the    garden, reducing the need for artificial pest control.

 The wildflowers provide a beautiful landscape throughout the summer

 They don’t require watering

 They don’t need the use of gas powered mowing

Next year we’ll look for some native ground covers to try to supplement the natural wildflowers. In addition we hope to work with our neighbors The Honey Exchange  http://thehoneyexchange.com as we try to become a registered honeybee habitat and to create an even more inviting environment for honeybees in the Longfellow garden and Deering neighborhood.

A Visitor in the Garden

It was inevitable that the Garden in such a lush and productive state would have a visitor this summer. The appearance of a groundhog or woodchuck (or in some areas known as a land-beaver although that seems like a stretch) seems both a compliment and a threat to the arrival of so many delicious vegetables yet to be harvested. So far no damage has been done aside from 3-4 some well-executed holes burrowed under the potting shed. Is it possible that seeing the hard work of the Longfellow teachers, students, and volunteers has deterred the rotund rodent from a festive feeding frenzy ? Although we admire his live and let live attitude. The capture and re-location of said Marmota Monax, relative of the ground squirrel is eminent! More to follow.

The arrival of the Longfellow groundhog seems to be a harbinger not of Spring but of a bountiful harvest season. Many of the plants are now in their last burst of growth. The corn is truly as "high as an elephant's eye" ! August is a great time for families to spend some time in the garden weeding, picnicking, touring the beds and pond. I encourage anyone who would like access to the garden to drop me an email at mpraught@yahoo.com so I can be available to make sure it's open. The picnic table under the arbor is perfect for a summer meal !

A New Season in Full Bloom

So much as happened since the last post in December.  In the last  6 months we have built on the wonderful foundation of earlier accomplishments and now see an even brighter future for the school’s garden.  Here are just a few of the projects that have been completed or are still underway this summer:

• Raised beds

The first project of spring 2011 was the building of six additional raised beds and increasing the height of two of the existing beds. Four of the new beds were placed in the kindergarten area which had previously been mounded soil.  This should allow for better water retentions and ease of weeding. We are already seeing the results!!

• Greenhouse

The greenhouse was an incredible show of energy, support, and coordination start to finish.  After receiving the grant from Whole Foods 5% day we purchased a greenhouse kit. We then proceeded to get the building permits, move the garden shed, and dig trench for the foundation. All tolled the project took over 60 hrs.  Most of which were in the chilly Spring drizzle! The thought of blooming seedlings (coffee and donuts) kept everyone going.

·         Pond Landscaping

Landscaping around the pond was given a new look this spring as pavers were removed and soil brought in to facilitate the planting of grass.  Upon arriving in the fall students will find the pond full of pond life thanks to a new pump and regular parent maintenance.

• Outdoor Classroom

 PATHS metal arts students created benches for our outdoor classroom under the arbor. The benches were recycled from Fitzpatrick Stadium seats and welded to fit our needs. Installed with the help of Portland Public Works they are now a permanent addition under the arbor where teachers can bring students to gather for outdoor learning.

• Curriculum

With the help of teachers and Cultivating Community , a grassroots community development program students were able to once again plant vegetables and flowers with an eye toward harvest and a more integrated  curriculum in mind.  Areas of the garden have been designed:

-          Kindergarten: planted 3 sisters beds (corn, squash, and beans) which focuses on relationships between companion plants. Sunflowers welcome new students and documents plant growth from the seedlings planted in the spring.

-          Grades 1-2: planted stone soup beds (carrots, beans, potatoes, and onions) and will highlight feeding the community by making soup.

-          Grade 3: seed-saving garden (w/ heirloom Maine varieties) will aid in the discussion of biodiversity and seed culture.

-           Grade 4: Maine potato varieties are related to Maine social studies.

·               Outreach

Longfellow is listed on a new website the Maine School Garden Network.  www.msgn.org  whose mission is to “promote and support educational gardens for youth, and to encourage school programs which teach healthy eating and environmental stewardship.”

Longfellow hosted one of two Portland School District Garden Summits. 
Organized by Blair Currier, Local Foods Manager and Maryellen Thoma, Obesity Grant Coordinator their work is funded under Communities Putting Prevention to Work, a public health initiative addressing the environmental causes of childhood obesity. Their goal was to convene representatives of PPS school gardens and brainstorm about opportunities to build capacity for school gardens district-wide.  Longfellow has been a leader in providing school grown produce for the Maine Harvest Lunch in late Sept.  Central kitchens is exploring ways in which growing micro-greens by be able to be used in salad bars across the district.  Longfellow garden volunteers hope to share support and provide expertise as the program evolves.

Other Spring Garden Events:

¨     United Way Day of Caring Thurs. May 19^th, brought volunteers to the garden to help prepare much of the garden for planting.

¨     Green Day at Longfellow   Thurs. May 19^th, was also the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Green house attended by students, teacher and , Whole Foods Market.