Last weekend, parents, children and Pedal Patch Community met at NSW to create our charity garden that will benefit the Westside Foodbank. It was a great and warm community event that brought a lot of us closer to each other and made use out of a 'dumping spot' in our environment.
On Monday, we reflected with some of the children who had helped create the garden. Their thoughts were:
Paloma: "We should make a sign to tell the parents who didn't come, what we did."
Owen: "We can make a note so the teachers can read it at circle to all the friends."
So, later that day and on Tuesday today, Owen and Kai as well as Paloma and Griffin lead a discussion at circle about the side gardens.
Paola/Kris: "We made nursery beds with some help from our friends at Pedal Patch."
Kai: "My daddy was drilling and I was holding the cord for him so we can be safe. Noah held the bag of screws."
Owen: "We had to go around and make signs to show what we are going to grow."
Blue: "We planted a garden. We planted seeds and they will grow big."
Griffin: "The vegetables are for the poor."
Owen: "And people who don't have food."
There was a lot of interest so the group met again to decide some guidelines:
Griffin: "Could we have appointments where we pick the food and take the food to where it's going to go?"
Raven: "We should water."
They collaborated on some rules:
RULE #1 This is not a shortcut. You shouldn't go into the gate to get to the Back Patio or park your bike. We can go in on special days when you sign up.
RULE#2 We can't walk in to the boxes because if there are seedlings that haven't poked out, they can get stepped on. We don't want that to happen. Stay outside the box!
The group had one question …. "HOW ARE WE GOING TO CONTROL THESE GARDENS?? WE AREN'T EXPERTS!!"
So please come by and peek through the fence at our new Charity Garden.
If you can help us follow up with the kids, contact Kris or Paola. We need to make:
1. A sign about the garden.
2. more plant stakes in woodworking.
3. A parent volunteer to advise on caring for these veggies.
When we are in full fruit and ready to harvest, we will invite Pedal Patch Community and the Westside Foodbank bank for a blue ribbon ceremony (or whatever the children come up with!) to celebrate the harvest.