TODAY:
Ninth graders sported safety goggles and gloves while they connected a grid of irrigation pipes with plumbing glue. Thanks to Matt Baer for laying the foundation for our watering system!
A host of kinder, first and second graders sampled fresh parsley and red chard from our two thriving raised beds - plantings courtesy of team member Chris Wrasse - before digging in with hands, shovels and weeding instruments to uproot a host of weeds. Every child - without exception - begged for more time to work! Elizabeth Jebef will return next week, during recess, to allow emerging green thumbs to weed and dig in the dirt during playtime.
COMING UP:
In March, Phil will be working with ninth graders to construct a split rail fence and entryway which will separate the playground from the orchard and garden space - a safety requirement.
Full speed ahead!
Friday, February 22, 2008
Garden Update
Common Vision will be pulling into Aveson the first week of March to help us dedicate several fruit trees to our campus orchard. See www.commonvision.org for more details regarding their vision and interactive school curriculum.
The garden irrigation project is well underway thanks to Phil and a group of dedicated parents. Many thanks.
The upper "garden" - or the raised area above the garden designated by a concrete wall - has been designed to host a lovely array of drought tolerant and mostly native plants designed to repeat in a simple pattern the length of the garden, courtesy of landscape visionary Caroline Andres.
Weather permitting. Tomorrow, for K-2's Advisory Friday, children will visit the garden in rotating groups of five to help weed new groundlings that have cropped up with the season's showers.
Our budget. The garden was fortunate to be included in the list of early recipients for the CDE grant which provided our initiative with $5,000 in August.
Sadly, due to recent budget cuts, outstanding grants may not be distributed. In anticipation of next year, we are seeking volunteer grant writers.
Bringing the garden home... The City of Pasadena will be selling the Garden Gourmet Compost Bin this weekend in Victory Park at half it's retail value. If you've been dreaming of a home compost but haven't taken the plunge, this Saturday's sale is a good opportunity.
The garden irrigation project is well underway thanks to Phil and a group of dedicated parents. Many thanks.
The upper "garden" - or the raised area above the garden designated by a concrete wall - has been designed to host a lovely array of drought tolerant and mostly native plants designed to repeat in a simple pattern the length of the garden, courtesy of landscape visionary Caroline Andres.
Weather permitting. Tomorrow, for K-2's Advisory Friday, children will visit the garden in rotating groups of five to help weed new groundlings that have cropped up with the season's showers.
Our budget. The garden was fortunate to be included in the list of early recipients for the CDE grant which provided our initiative with $5,000 in August.
Sadly, due to recent budget cuts, outstanding grants may not be distributed. In anticipation of next year, we are seeking volunteer grant writers.
Bringing the garden home... The City of Pasadena will be selling the Garden Gourmet Compost Bin this weekend in Victory Park at half it's retail value. If you've been dreaming of a home compost but haven't taken the plunge, this Saturday's sale is a good opportunity.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Garden Team Meeting - 10 January 2008
Our small gathering last Thursday focused on the much needed implementation of the garden's irrigation system and the garden's curriculum.Third grade parent Matt is collaborating with Plant Manger Phill to outline next steps for bringing water to our expectant raised beds.
After exploring infinite intersections of science, math and art that could be introduced to our students through the garden, we agreed to "keep it simple" and adapt Alice Waters' Edible Schoolyard & Ecoliteracy Programs as we get started - largely focusing on growing, journaling and cooking in the garden and Aveson kitchen.
To learn more about these tried and true programs click here: Edible Schoolyard and the Center for Ecoliteracy
Our long term vision includes a designated Garden Teacher or Manger to collaborate with our Aveson Teaching Team to integrate California standards into our learning garden, coordinate parent and community volunteers, pursue funding and guide our students' outdoor learning experience.
TO DO NOW:
We need volunteers interested in donating time or resources to erect our shaded learning arbor and lay down hardware cloth in our remaining beds, if you are interested please telephone Elizabeth - 626.824.3726!
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Homegrown Revolution
PATH TO FREEDOM 'HOMEGROWN REVOLUTION™' FILM SHORT
featured @
SUSTAINABLE LA @ Farmlab/Under Spring
Curated by Echo Park Film Center
Saturday, December 8 @ 7 pm
FREE EVENT! EVERYONE WELCOME!
Evening begins with a potluck dinner so please bring food to share.
Approximate Program Times:
Sustainable LA Shorts: 8:30
More info: www.farmlab.org
Sustainable LA is a celebration of Angelinos engaged in the green revolution. The one-hour program consists of short films on a variety of topics including urban gardening, environmental awareness and community activism. In keeping with the grassroots nature of many of these organizations, emphasis is on issues awareness, practical information exchange and hands-on participation.
Many Thanks
Thanks again to first grade parents Chris & Tina who generously donated the garden's first truckload of rich soil and mulch!
Saturday, December 1, 2007
All Hands Work Day 1 December 2007
Today's groundbreaking workday rewarded months of patience and several hours of sweat equity this afternoon courtesy of dedicated Aveson students and parents.
15 Orcaboard raised beds were assembled by adults and children alike - literally in a snap! Hay bales were arranged in a learning circle and most remarkably, the entire upper terrace was weeded with great discipline to reveal several rosemary plants and a blank canvas for our future drought tolerant, native plantings.
Giant lizards, curious ivy roots and metal treasures were uncovered.
Next week we will be laying down plastic to prevent the regrowth of weeds until the native design is complete. We still need to level and weed part of the lower garden space and we are also collecting newspapers to serve as the second layer of our beds - in between the hardware cloth and the soil/mulch mix. So bring in your used dailies in the coming week.
Thank you to all of the families who donated their Saturday morning and afternoon to help realize Aveson's vision of a dynamic learning garden for our K-12th graders.
Full speed ahead!
15 Orcaboard raised beds were assembled by adults and children alike - literally in a snap! Hay bales were arranged in a learning circle and most remarkably, the entire upper terrace was weeded with great discipline to reveal several rosemary plants and a blank canvas for our future drought tolerant, native plantings.
Giant lizards, curious ivy roots and metal treasures were uncovered.
Next week we will be laying down plastic to prevent the regrowth of weeds until the native design is complete. We still need to level and weed part of the lower garden space and we are also collecting newspapers to serve as the second layer of our beds - in between the hardware cloth and the soil/mulch mix. So bring in your used dailies in the coming week.
Thank you to all of the families who donated their Saturday morning and afternoon to help realize Aveson's vision of a dynamic learning garden for our K-12th graders.
Full speed ahead!
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
La Ofrendra at L.A.'s Farm Lab
From La Ofrenda cooridinator Olivia Chumaceo:
"In every culture that exists in the world, people acknowledge and memorialize their dead. While some cultures are very private and don’t even speak the deceased’s name ever again, in the Indigenous culture of Mesoamerica it was and is observed in a manner that celebrates life.
"For the second year now Farmlab will honor the ancestors by transforming the Under Spring area into a celebration of life, with hundreds of marigolds, candles, music, art, the beauty reflected in our cultural diversity. We designate this time as the day of La Ofrenda, which translates to The Offering. In collaboration with the, 50/500 Indigenous Elders, the Chinese youth dance ensemble, the Andean song and dance troupe from Bolivia, the Tongva people with their Ancestor Pole ceremony, the Japanese sacred flute music and many other groups from the surrounding, Farmlab invites you to partake of this heartfelt and magical Ofrenda day."
You are welcome to set up your own offering here at UnderSpring. Farmlab will gift you with marigolds, candles and a space for your offering. Please contact us with plenty of lead time. Or, come to the event at sunrise Friday, November 2 to participate with the Tonvga people as they honor with their Ancestoral Pole ceremony at the Yangna village site commonly known as the California State Historic Park. Otherwise join us for a full evening of La Ofrenda, on Saturday, November 3 from 7:30 p.m. to midnight in the Under Spring area."
Photos from the 2006 La Ofrenda. Farmlab Photos by Sarah McCabe.
"In every culture that exists in the world, people acknowledge and memorialize their dead. While some cultures are very private and don’t even speak the deceased’s name ever again, in the Indigenous culture of Mesoamerica it was and is observed in a manner that celebrates life.
"For the second year now Farmlab will honor the ancestors by transforming the Under Spring area into a celebration of life, with hundreds of marigolds, candles, music, art, the beauty reflected in our cultural diversity. We designate this time as the day of La Ofrenda, which translates to The Offering. In collaboration with the, 50/500 Indigenous Elders, the Chinese youth dance ensemble, the Andean song and dance troupe from Bolivia, the Tongva people with their Ancestor Pole ceremony, the Japanese sacred flute music and many other groups from the surrounding, Farmlab invites you to partake of this heartfelt and magical Ofrenda day."
You are welcome to set up your own offering here at UnderSpring. Farmlab will gift you with marigolds, candles and a space for your offering. Please contact us with plenty of lead time. Or, come to the event at sunrise Friday, November 2 to participate with the Tonvga people as they honor with their Ancestoral Pole ceremony at the Yangna village site commonly known as the California State Historic Park. Otherwise join us for a full evening of La Ofrenda, on Saturday, November 3 from 7:30 p.m. to midnight in the Under Spring area."Photos from the 2006 La Ofrenda. Farmlab Photos by Sarah McCabe.
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