Tomato Taste Test: From Skeptic to Enthusiast
In a recent tomato taste test, this young boy embarked on a delightful culinary adventure. He and his class meticulously examined three distinct tomato varieties: the standard supermarket fare, the artisanal produce from the farmer’s market, and the homegrown treasures fresh from the school garden. With a blend of curiosity and caution, he prodded at […]
A Day of Discovery at Oriole Park School Garden
Excitement radiated through the Oriole Park School Garden as eager children finally stepped into the octagonal oasis they had helped to plant and tend in May and June. Over the summer break the garden had transformed beyond recognition, now a symphony of sunflowers, zinnias, and cosmos, inviting pollinators and students alike to partake in its […]
MSU Students Tour H.O.P.E. Gardens
The rain didn’t keep this group from MSU’s Organic Farmer Training Program from touring our garden at Kent ISD. As we strolled through the gardens they sampled cucamelons, borage, lemon basil, and Concord grapes. We shoveled soil from the regenerative garden to compare it with the soil outside of the garden and noticed threads of […]
New Garden Friends at Kent ISD
Upon discovering the established garden on the property of their new school building, Empower U students at Kent ISD expressed a keen interest in contributing. Julie Brunson, Executive Director of H.O.P.E. Gardens, extended an invitation for them to participate in our garden volunteer days. The endeavor proved to be a resounding success for everyone involved. […]
Exploring in the Garden
At Godfrey Lee Elementary, the students engaged in a fascinating exploration of their garden and compost bin to learn about decomposers. During their investigation, they made an interesting discovery: pill bugs, also known as Roly Polys, prefer the dark and damp spaces beneath wood chips and cardboard. Additionally, they actively participated in planting various plants […]
Summer in Our School Gardens
At H.O.P.E Gardens, we have been excited to engage students in various enriching activities in our school gardens this summer. To begin, we taught the art of transplantation, guiding students as they learned how to carefully move seedlings that had sprouted from seeds. This hands-on experience provided them with valuable skills and knowledge about plant […]
Plants Need Light to Grow
In March students in 39 STEAM classrooms learned that dormant seeds contain stored energy (cotyledon) to produce a plant. In April they discovered that after a plant begins to grow, the seed energy becomes depleted and plants must get their energy from the sun. Students were able to compare plants that were grown in sunlight […]
Let’s Talk About Seeds!
We love teaching students where their food comes from. Did you know that a dormant seed contains everything that it needs to grow into a plant and grow food to eat? This month students learns the parts of a seed and then each was given a seed that had been soaked in water to awaken […]
February is a Good Month for Garden Planning
. Kids in 39 Wyoming Public Schools STEAM Â classrooms, 7 Team 21 after-school programs, 2 classrooms at South Elementary in Grandville, and 4 classrooms at Countryside Elementary in Byron Center, all planned their summer gardens in February. They began by learning why planting a variety of fruits and vegetables helps protect the garden from being […]
Pinecones Are For The Birds
Our Team 21 kids at 10 schools in Wyoming used pinecones, shortening, and bird seed in January to make pinecone bird feeders to hang in their school gardens. Pine cones are the perfect vessel for a handmade bird feeder. Our feathered friends are getting a winter treat made by the hands of children. If you […]