WEEK 22 IN THE GARDEN: 01/26-29/2015 !Stay tuned for More Information re: the upcoming Botanical Interests seed sale!! We’re SO looking forward to it and have been busy preparing our MMCS Spring Garden seed order across the grades. !SIDE NOTE: Why was there no gardening with Ms. Lisa on Monday? As I left for MMCS that day, my car made a very unsettling, strange . . . crunching / grinding sound. I thought: snow ?? a flat tire ?? and stopped twice, to check. Finally, as I slowly rolled down the street: my right rear tire came off completely, and became wedged between the brake and wheel well—at this strange angle, in gravel, on a hill. My lug nuts had been removed, in the process of someone’s attempt to steal my tire, in the night. Friends and neighbors helped me jack my car and remove the tire; drove to purchase replacement lug nuts; followed me to Toyota—where I had the car checked out. !All is well now, and—in spite of such an unpleasant surprise, I feel incredibly grateful: blessed that my family is safe, my car is fine, and for the sweet kindness-n-care of those who helped my family—one of whom was Ms. Beca (long-time garden volunteer). Thank you, thank you, thank you!! Now, in GARDEN News… !1st: M & T 1:45 - 2:40   EA = Ms. Jessi + volunteer Beca Muñiz Tuesday, we worked in three groups—which will rotate 2X next week, so everyone has the opportunity to participates in each activity: !In the ORCHARD, with Ms. Jessi: students chose two trees to build a beneficial plant community around. First, they removed “suckers” from the base; then used their feet to measure a three to five foot radius, around the tree—which would become planting space. Students used cultivators and hand trowels to remove tightly interconnected grass roots, and to loosen the heavily compacted soil. Our goal is to create a healthy mini-ecosystem around each tree, to see if we can better support tree health. !We reflected on how trees are like people, in that healthy life choices* create a strong foundation for health, and healing—even if borers or illness or Some Other Damage occurs. Some healthy life parallels we discussed: healthy food, water & exercise + sleep; kindness to friends, family, and ourselves, playing, etc. We will go more in depth re: plant symbiosis and “healthy habits” when it comes time for PLANTING botanical communities :) !In the 1st Outdoor Classroom (1OC), with Ms. Beca: student prepared space for planting Spring bulbs—such as gladiolus, dahlias, and lilies—by digging out the dreaded “Mrs. Johnson” roots, and throwing ‘em in the trash. Mrs. Johnson is an invasive species that spreads through rhizomes and seeds, and crowds out Other plants. Although it is beautiful, it is also toxic to ingest. We are doing our best to eradicate it from our school gardens. If you would like to help, email me: l.slavick@mountainmahogany.org !!

In the Main Garden, with me: we investigated bugs: imagining where they might be, this time of year. Oliver L. suggested that we would find them in dark, hidden places: so we looked in shady spots, and under rocks, logs, leaves . . . and found roly polies, ants, snails, worms; a dead grasshopper and a beheaded, hollow beetle. We examined, and talked about exoskeletons + imagined that perhaps some kind of spider was responsible for the beetle death. Under green leaves, in garden boxes, we found aphids and cabbage loopers, as well—which led to a fantastic discussion about the fine line between garden “beneficials” and “pests.” !To display our findings, students created a BUG BAR GRAPH while investigating: marking a √ in graph paper squares, next to the name of each critter sighted—every time. In the end, each student effectively created an easy-to-read bar graph, representing the presence and prevalence of various garden critters, in February. We will repeat this activity in Spring—and perhaps, next Fall, as well: to compare and contrast present populations, throughout the seasons. !2nd: W & Th 1:45 - 2:40 EA = Ms. Staci !Wednesday & Thursday, students had the opportunity to self-select from the following: * finish their Garden Box Plant ID books for kindergarten; * dig out waffle garden squares in the 2nd Outdoor Classroom (2OC); * saw down parts of the borer infested apricot tree near the east gate garden entrance; * prepare soil samples from all around campus, for next week’s capacity / saturation / drainage

experiments; or * work with a buddy to compare and contrast the difference between compacted vs. loose

soil re: allowing water flow to “root fingers.” !3rd: M & T 1:45 - 2:35 NO EA + volunteer Beca Muñiz !Tuesday, we continued working the 3rd Outdoor Classroom (3OC): honing Spring plans via maps—with Just Right plant selections—taking the following, into consideration: * preexisting plants * space / size limitations * climate appropriateness—i.e. exotic vs. native / adapted * sun / shade, and soil conditions * uses—i.e. favorite foods or teas, beneficial insect attractant / pest repellent,

companions, beauty, etc. !Our goal is to complete maps and seed orders, next week: then, shift focus back to site prep + setting up the greenhouse for seed-sprouting!! :) !

4th W & Th 1:45 - 2:35 NO EA + volunteer Alice Zaruba (Sebastian, 4th & Autumn, 7th) & special guest Tyler Schutte (Viktorya, 4th) !Wednesday, we dove back into the World of Gardening with an interactive garden plot step-measuring demo, on deck; students then headed out, into the Main Garden—graph paper and pencils in hand; feet, ready to step-measure sites, to scale. !Once a rough, to-scale site perimeter is graphed, students will: 1. record scale; 2. sketch existing paths, landmarks, and plants; 3. create a two part key representing both—preexisting, and PLANNED plants—for Spring; and 4. complete a seed order utilizing the current Botanical Interests seed catalog. With all these parts complete, small groups will shift gears to site-prep for Spring planting + greenhouse set up, for seed-sprouting!! :) !Thursday, it was such a treat to have Viktorya and her father (Tyler) share about HONEYBEES!! Viktorya is passionate and knowledgeable about honeybees—in large part, because her dad is a beekeeper. In fact, soon after her first day of school at MMCS, she asked to do a presentation for the class—and started planning… !Mr. Tyler and Viktorya paired up to share, this week—and to answer so many GREAT QUESTIONS about bees, and wasps. Normally, students squirm when I have ‘em sit very long, on deck—for gardening, but this day more than 1/2 the class shared and / or asked brilliant questions (fielded by Viktorya and her dad), for more than 40 minutes!! !Here are a few responses to Qs asked & Other interesting tidbits for your learning enjoyment. For example, did you know… !!!!!!!!!!!

* bee pheromone smells like bananas—so, if you smell that (even if it’s because you were recently EATING bananas), get away from the hive !

* increased BUZZing volume is an indication that honeybees are growing agitated in the hive !* MYTH: honeybees cannot see white. FACT = they DO SEE white, but are not triggered to

attack, because nothing white is threatening to ‘em, in Nature; they do see black as threatening as black bears have been attracted to honey and stolen from hives, for years-n-years. NOTE: It is advisable to keep this in mind—and dress accordingly, when planning to work with bees. !

* closing eyes, covering ears, and staying calm / moving slowly is a good strategy to stay safe in the presence of bees !

* 98% of a hive is female—and only the females have stingers. In fact, worker bees are all female—and their lives span approximately six weeks; whereas a queen can live up to EIGHT YEARS!! Workers don’t live as long, in part . . . because they sort of get worn out. Some workers are needed throughout the winter months, tho—to keep the colony alive: regulating hive temperatures to a constant 87° F by vibrating their wing stubs. !

* There is a hive Queen, but no King. !* a bee live cycle resembles that of Other insects: egg > larva > pupa > adult bee !* api/s = relating to honeybees—whether apitherapy (bee sting therapy), apiary (hive),

apiculture (beekeeping) !* without honeybees, there would be 30% LESS FOOD IN THE WORLD—as they are

responsible for SO MUCH of the pollination of plants, and therefore fruit and vegetable development !

* honeybees live in a complexly interdependent social community—which is one way in which they differ from wasps and bumblebees !

* Although honeybees and wasps have similar stinger anatomy, only the stinger of the HONEYBEE is ripped out, when it stings—because it is barbed; wasps, on the other hand, (having a smooth stinger) can sting repeatedly. !

LAST BUT NOT LEAST (I Love this question): What do you give the bees, when you take their honey? Beekeepers always leave some for the bees (even more so, in winter), because—like wasps and bumblebees—they need it to feed their young. !In addition to this sweet sharing about bees, Ms. Alice SURPRISED US ALL with hot chocolate and hot apple cider to share, on this cold-n-windy day. !THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!! !

Ms. Alice volunteers with 4th every Wednesday and Thursday, in the garden. She has been an incredible support: passing out materials, supporting individuals and small groups; helping me track positive and negative teamwork behaviors, organizing student work, and tidying up the garden at the tail end of each class. I feel so incredibly blessed; so grateful for the time she donates to 4th grade in the garden, each week. As there is no EA in this class, Ms. Alice’s presence brings the teacher / adult : student ratio down—from 1:24 to 1:12. This is an incredible, much-needed gift to everyone—making SO MUCH More possible, than would be with me—flying solo. Thank you, Alice. !5th M & T 2:40-3:20 no EA + volunteer M&T Beca + T = Amy (Aza, 6th); Amanda + Ellie (2nd) & Noah (5th); 5th grade sub, Ms. Marion + 2:30 Middle School Garden Elective Mentors (MSGEMs): Caeleigh, Carlos, Logan, Orchid & Zachary !Tuesday, we were blessed with so many helpers—which inspired me to dive into an impromptu “down-n-dirty” mapping demo with Ms. Beca.* Afterwards, volunteers and MSGEMs supported the start of small group to-scale, step-measured site-mapping throughout the Main Garden. !ON DECK: Ms. Beca and I improvised—using the graph paper & chalkboard + drawing on the deck, and acting out the process of step-measuring + plotting points and connecting ‘em—to create the garden perimeters. !After the on-deck demo, students only had about 10 minutes to work in groups, mapping, before we needed to head to the deck. So, we will pick up where we left off, next week. NOTE: Last year I introduced the idea of mapping to scale—in the orchard, and most of this class absolutely dreaded the thought; overwhelmed. This year however . . . they seem ready—relating the process to finding AREA & PERIMETER during classroom math time :) WONDERFUL!! !* impromptu “down-n-dirty” demo—due to perpetual time crunch, which presents a challenge to

introducing more complex garden concepts to 24 + students, simultaneous. 5th grade garden time is whittled to approximately 30 minutes 2X / wk—via transitions in / out + because we need to be ON DECK for pick up, by 3:25PM. !

BRIEFLY ABOUT THESE VOLUNTEERS * Ms. Amy Cesario (Aza, 6th) has been volunteering every Tuesday, with 5th, for a few

weeks: digging in the dirt + working 1:1 with a particular student over time, to plan and plant his site; bringing seeds to share. Students are not only learning via direct interaction with Ms. Amy, but by her positive example of what it it looks like to be a gardener = focused, happy digging, visioning; building connection thru care. !

* Ms. Amanda Replogle (Ellie, 2nd & Noah, 5th) volunteered with this class on a regular basis, until she and her family moved, last year. Now, they are now back: awaiting openings at MMCS for Ellie & Noah, in 2nd & 5th grades. In the meantime, all three have been volunteering (after they get out of school)—in the garden, with 5th. It is such a pleasure to have ‘em all back, in the garden. Amanda—who is now beginning her career as a teacher as well—has an incredibly sweet spirit: gentle, and positively connected . . . in a way that students feel Loved . . . simply by being in her presence. !

* Ms. Beca Muñiz has been volunteering with garden classes, on the Garden Committee, and over the course of multiple summers—supporting maintenance needs, since Spring 2008. So, it’s been SEVEN YEARS already. Wow. Beca, who works in the produce department at the Nob Hill La Montanita Co-op, simply called one day—out of the blue: asking if she could volunteer with me, in the garden. She has been a steady, committed, dedicated volunteer throughout this time with me, ever since—and I am so profoundly grateful. Beca has played a key role in making the garden experience what it is, for students. She has a beautiful insight into the needs of children, and is SO FUN to work with: a ray of sunshine for everyone, each week—with her animated stories, inquisitive question-asking, and keen memory. Although she does not have her Own kids at MMCS, she says her heart is here, in the garden. !

I am so grateful for all these sweet-natured, generous, inspiring, and insightful volunteers. 5th grade is truly blessed—as am I. Thank you SO Much Beca, Amanda, and Amy. Thank you Jewels & Mike when your schedules allow you to join us, as well. Thank you, Alice. and to EVERYONE who has supported the garden program, in any-n-every way. Your presence is SUCH a gift, to all of us. !K: W & Th 2:30-3:15 EA: Ms. Bianca + Middle School Garden Elective Mentors (MSGEMs): Caeleigh, Carlos, Logan, Orchid & Zachary !Last week, kindergarten made garden-plant tea; then participated in a taste-testing, Friday. Some students liked some teas; others weren’t fond of any of ‘em; some wondered about the COLOR particular teas turned. So, this week: among other small group rotation activities, students started a one-ingredient jar sample: labeling his / her jar with the plant s/he collected. !When our collection is complete, we will pour boiling water into the jars and let the key ingredient of each steep—for an individual ingredient tea-taste-test / sensory observation exploration: findings will be recorded, so we can learn more about the qualities of each plant. !!

Here are some of last week’s recipes—documented by labeled leaf rubbings: NOTE: MSGEM Zachary and a quite few kindergarten friends, were absent, this day. !* Orchid + Xol, Rio, Olivia & David: chard, mint, sage, horehound, rosemary, beet, radish !* Logan + Alexi, Evan, Aubrey & Tavish: onion, fennel !* Caeleigh + Mia, Clarissa, Will & Mikaylah: fennel, lavender, rosemary, mint, horehound !* Carlos + Carla, Lillian, Iris, Desmond—recipe card has gone MISSING!!? Sorry…

Other groups in this week’s rotation, include: !1. Reading The Empty Pot by Demi to a

small group; then caring for the boiled vs. not-boiled seeds we planted in eggshells, this past December. The only trouble is: on our first rotation, many egg shell planters were crushed; so we will be starting the “Eggs” periment over. !

2. Creating plant communities around the apricot tree that kindergarten selected. To start, student in this small group stood, encircling the tree—with backs to the trunk; then step measured five heal-to-toe steps, to find the proper radius—at which point, to dig a “moat.” Students will be digging approximately 4” deep, right up to the base: taking care to not damage the tree’s lateral roots. The goal is to loosen soil, so we can plant various beneficials—as protectors, or guardians to support tree health and healing from previous damage. !

3. Tree pos ters : s tuden ts worked collaboratively or individually to illustrate each tree part: from taproot to leaves-in-the-breeze. So far students are showing a great retention for this vocabulary re: tree anatomy. !

4. Box care: we noticed that only a 2X2” section of cilantro is growing, of the many seeds that were planted a few months ago: Why aren’t the seeds sprouting!?”

To answer that question: we recalled what seeds need to sprout & plants need to grow—and realized how dry the box was. Students committed to checking on their garden—and watering, as needed—every day. !NOTE: VOLUNTEER SUPPORT TO REPAIR THIS GARDEN BOX TOP WOULD ALSO REALLY HELP THESE SEEDS ALONG. Please let me know if you are interested in helping out, in this capacity: l.slavick@mountainmahogany.org. !!

The garden box group also chose three seeds, and compared the diversity of size, shape, color & texture; then planted, and watered.

!MS Elective = MSGEMs: 2:30-3:25 M - Th

includes: Logan & Zachary (6th); Caeleigh (7th); Carlos & Orchid (8th)

See 5th & K notes to find out MORE re: this week’s MS Garden Elective experiences…

!!!PICTURED > > > !Violet, Olivia, Will & Mikaylah with harvested-n-labeled single ingredient tea samples + with their playful MSGEM lead, Orchid