Silver Springs children have a new school garden, thanks to a grant received by Healthy Communities Coalition through the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). In a unique partnership, Community Roots, a nonprofit part of The Healthy Communities Coalition, is partnering with SSES and SS Boys and Girls Club to develop and maintain the new garden this spring and summer.
The school garden at Silver Springs Elementary involves many opportunities for hands-on learning in class subjects such as science and health. An exciting hands-on lesson opportunity starts next week when the lunchroom will begin composting scraps for the school garden.
During SSES science class the first week of June, students will plant starts for the new garden. Community Roots is looking for help from businesses, clubs, parents, students and teachers to help build a hoop house (low tech green house) at the school in fall 2011 (contact Wendy Madson at 250-7884 if you’d like to be involved). The hoop house will be used as a learning tool for students and to provide fresh produce for families.
This year, school gardens are being developed in Silver Springs and Dayton, and next year they’ll be developed in Yerington and Fernley. The garden project has been attracting regional interest from diverse groups: watch for photos and an article on the school gardens in Edible Reno-Tahoe magazine this June.
School Garden Liaison and director of Community Roots, Wendy Madson, explains, “The dirt has been dug, the worms have been placed in the soil and the beautiful organic alfalfa has been laid, serving as the perfect mulch. The best part of this learning process is that the kids have been doing all the work and loving every minute of it! Soon the kids will be planting starts in their science classroom and seeing the results of composting. They’ll get time outside in the garden to plant their class-grown vegetable starts. Through the Boys and Girls Club program at the school, kids will continue to learn from the garden throughout the summer.”
Silver Springs Boys and Girls Club program is located in the school. The summer program is open from 6am to 6:30pm from June 13-Aug. 26, and includes free, hot breakfast and lunch. Contact Karen Spencer at (775) 577-9179 for more information.
Community Roots operates a nonprofit nursery and summer farmers’ market from their location on Highway 50 and 2nd Street in Dayton, and sales help fund community projects including implementation of school gardens, community gardens, nonprofit farmers’ markets, and job training, volunteer and service learning opportunities for adults and teens, including those with special needs. For more information, contact Wendy Madson at 250-7884.
