Senator Winnie Brinks Visits Our Garden
In a heartwarming show of support for nutrition education and food equity, Senator Winnie Brinks and her assistant, Kate Kooyman, recently visited the Gladiola Elementary School garden. This visit not only emphasized the value of hands-on nutrition learning but also demonstrated how school gardens have the potential to transform access to fresh, wholesome produce for […]
FitKids 360 Harvest Fest
This week families in Fitkids celebrated their gardens’ summer harvest with a dinner in Marquette Park’s gazebo. Once just tiny seedlings, plants are now stretching ever higher, filling the boxes and climbing trellises in this very green community garden. The Fitkid families, together with HOPE garden staff, planted and now tend six garden boxes. The […]
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 […]
Reflecting on H.O.P.E. Gardens’ Vision for 2024
From the desk of Julie Brunson: As I sit here by the garden, contemplating our goals for H.O.P.E. Gardens in 2024, I find myself drawn back to our mission and vision, and the remarkable progress we have made thus far. While strategic plans and goals are undeniably crucial, it is the heartfelt moments that linger […]
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 […]
Unearthing the Garden’s Secret Helpers: Worms
As spring unfolded, our students embarked on an eye-opening journey into the intricate world of garden ecology. They uncovered the invaluable role played by worms, nature’s unsung heroes, in nurturing our green spaces. These humble creatures devour organic matter and fallen leaves, converting them into nutrient-rich soil that forms the bedrock of vibrant plant life. […]
Workshop for Our Congolese Neighbors
It was an honor to spend time with our Congolese neighbors at Flowerland in Wyoming as we shared our love of gardening and provided insights into growing in our climate (Grow Zone 6) as opposed to their region (Grow Zone 12).
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 […]
We had a Workshop
On Saturday, March 11, we hosted a Rengenerative Garden Workshop at Flowerland in Wyoming, MI. Hope Gardens’ staff taught community members how to install their own no-till, regenerative (nature-based) garden. Regenerative gardening is an approach to sustainable food and farming systems that regenerates topsoil and enhances biodiversity now and long into the future. This practice […]