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| Kindergarten students line up in their work teams. |
On April 12 the Short Hills Garden was alive with magic and laughter! The eagerness of the students was palpable as many different classes and age groups worked together and pooled their expertise to begin the new cycle of planting the empty garden beds. First, second, and third graders worked side by side, with the older students taking leadership roles. The children put into practice the lessons of cooperation and collaboration learned in other settings, as they worked to achieve a common goal-the planting of kitchen crops that will be enjoyed by the entire Short Hills community.
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| First graders making decisions about plant placement |
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| Second grade workers prepare the ground for border stones |
Just as the students were introduced to the power of cooperative tasks, they also learned about "companion plants," pairings of crops that provide benefits to each other. Below are some quotes from first graders about these benefits:
"Companion plants are put together sometimes so the taste will be better and sometimes to keep bugs away."
"Marigolds are guards to protect the plants. Animals don't like the smell of marigolds."
"Ladybugs can be guards too to keep away the aphids."
"You have to plant guard plants in the corners of the beds."
LIST OF COMPANION PLANTS IN THE SH GARDEN
carrots+sage(deters carrot fly and cabbage moth)
marigolds +lettuce
marigolds+beets
strawberries+lettuce
onions+peppers
beets+onions
potatoes+basil
celery+spinach
peppers+basil
Speaking of plants that go well together leads to a big announcement! Mr. Corvino (and some companions) officially planted A PIZZA GARDEN on April 19 with garlic, onions, oregano, basil, parsley, carrots, and some varieties of lettuce for a nice Italian salad!
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| The teachers look happy thinking about the yummy pizza to come! |
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| Mr. Corvino demonstrates how to plant garlic. |
Members of the Pingry community (of all ages) enjoyed a productive day sharing tasks and decisions. Some excerpts from second grade journal writing below reflect the power of the experience:
"It was a wonderful day in the garden. It was peaceful, calm, and quiet, and it was so much fun. My friends worked so hard."
"What I did in the garden was first I took the rocks and sticks out of the ground, then flipped the soil, then put flowers down and planted one, then watered the garden."
"It was superhard to take out all the rocks, leaves, weeds, and grass. I helped Sarah get a humongous rock. After that we planted flowers of all kinds. We got some help from other groups. I'm proud of all our hard work."
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| Literacy and library lovers laughing over lettuce! |
