The educational and environmental impact of an outdoor classroom and learning garden is not easily measured, but it certainly can be measured by a smile when they bite into a freshly picked apple.
How-to
Gardening makes me happy, especially when I am gardening with my three girls, as seen in the picture below. The benefits of a garden are undeniable.
April 9, 2012 Read more
After a week of rain, progress on Benton’s Backyard outdoor classroom and learning garden can be seen. Sunburnt and covered in dirt, a few hard working dads framed up the sidewalks, shed floor, pergola floor and mow strips in preparation for concrete to be poured. Our students returned from spring break to witness all of the changes.
Back in September of 2010, I started a new journey with my local elementary school, and now I would like you to join me on this journey, as I create a series of blogs that describes how a school and its community built an outdoor classroom and learning garden in 2012.
A simple PVC pipe light stand is a relatively inexpensive way to construct an effective plant stand. I bought all of the supplies for $39.15 and it took me about 20 minutes to cut the PVC and assemble the light stand (that with a toddler sitting on my lap).
March 5, 2012 Read more
My glass-encased little world instantly filled my garden-less void. When I am on an endless conference call or the magazine deadline is in thirty minutes while I can’t remember my password for my e-mail, it is so nice to peer into my little garden. Now if I could just find a miniature gnome statue or perhaps a mini-pink flamingo…
We love sweet corn in my home! I don’t have to tell my girls twice to eat their vegetables when sweet corn is being served. It’s a homegrown taste that I like to have all year long.
It’s the middle of August and most of us are not thinking about our strawberry plants, but you should be!
August 8, 2011 Read more
“That is humongous!” my four- year-old exclaimed as I held up a tomato horn worm.
While searching for the perfect tree to plant in our front yard, I asked the garden center owner, “When is the right time to plant a tree?”
July 14, 2011 Read more