May Mashing & Mixing

The Green LIONS Garden Group has had a busy Spring tending to the LIONS Garden. After making worm tea with our vermicomposting bin to sprinkle on our garden beds, our vegetables and strawberries have shifted into high gear in their growing and producing. The spike in temperatures and welcome rain also helped of course. The garden is growing so fast we may have to reschedule our Harvest Tasting for sooner than planned. Not a bad problem to have though!

For a little insurance we added some friendly ladybugs to our plants to snack on any unwelcome bugs. Students had a great time examining and making friends with the garden guardians.

It has been such a treat searching through the strawberry plants for that pop of red. During watering duties this past week parent representatives picked so many ripe strawberries we decided to make freezer jam with the students to save for our Harvest Tasting. We sweetened the jam with local honey and organic white grape juice. What a delicious way to preserve and enjoy our strawberry harvest. Preserving food is also a wonderful lesson in self-sufficiency for the kids.

In anticipation of Summer students enjoyed a fun science lesson in mixing their very own homemade bug spray. We filled amber glass bottles with 3 and 1/2 ounces of witch hazel, and 1/2 teaspoon each of lemongrass, eucalyptus, and citronella essential oils. Our school courtyard was especially fragrant as the students sampled their new bug repellent scent.

We look forward to harvesting a successful crop of 14 varieties of vegetables and fruits very soon! Stay tuned for a sooner Harvest Tasting to be announced.