HAY LAKES, Alta. — It’s hard to say if the Grade 1 students from Hay Lakes School will form a lasting love of gardening.
The mosquitoes buzzed and the wind blew soil in their faces this spring when they spent the afternoon planting their EarthBox gardens.
However, the students did learn lessons while planting their container gardens outside their school steps.
“Its always a good idea to wear sunglasses in the garden or else the dirt will get in your eye,” said Melanie Bieger, who wasn’t wearing sunglasses and needed to stop several times to wipe the dirt out of her eyes.
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Her neighbouring gardener, Thaedon Wolfe, also had good advice.
“You should always wear bug spray and always keep your back the way the wind is blowing,” advised Wolfe, who helps his mother plant sunflowers in their garden.
“You should wear protective eye wear and sometimes you should wear different clothes to keep you from the mosquitoes.”
They may not be the lessons Alberta Agriculture staff had in mind when they designed the EarthBox project in 2009 for Alberta schools.
“We are hoping that interest generated by EarthBox Kids will encourage people to begin conventional community gardens and to increase their consumption of fresh produce,” said Brent Andressen, an agriculture education specialist with the department.
More than 25 schools in the province from kindergarten to culinary technical schools grew vegetables as part of their programs to help improve their understanding of food security and water and soil conservation.
For Grade 1 students, the goal is simply to help make the connection to where their food comes from, said teacher Janet Berry.
The gardening project fits in with the science curriculum’s focus on learning about the needs of plants and animals, she said.
Before they began seeding the EarthBox containers, the students learned about the importance of the sun, soil, water and fertilizer to making their vegetables grow. The school is supplied with all the ingredients for growing a successful garden including a soil-less mix, fertilizer, dolomite and special plastic covers to retain moisture.
“I like putting in the seeds,” said Brooklyn Nickoleff.
Added Skylar Sutton: “I like watering. We have flower pots at home.”
Parents and community members will water the containers over the summer.
It’s the second year Berry’s students, school and parents have taken part in the project. The planting and watering are fun, but it’s the vegetable harvest that is the hit.
“It was like Christmas,” said Berry of last year’s vegetable harvest.
Students used the vegetables to make soup served to the elementary school students. Soup making spun off into lessons of healthy food choices.
“For a lot of children, they may not have ever had homemade soup. It was a positive response to the soup.”
Nickoleff thought “maybe” she might like eating the vegetables grown in the containers.
Connor Hoglund was a bit unsure about the project. It’s the first time he has planted a garden and he wasn’t sure about the choice of vegetables for planting: carrots, onions and potatoes.
“I hate potatoes. I like onions. Hmmm. No, I don’t,” he said changing his mind. “I like carrots.”
It’s not the first garden Keaton Pettigrew has planted.
“In our garden, we plant potatoes and strawberries and peas and other stuff that is good. You always get to eat them as soon as they are ready to pick.”
