|
Sheila is in charge of the school garden at El Moro Elementary School in Laguna Beach which was just started and the first of three eight-week, after-school enrichment gardening sessions is complete.
The garden is situated at the south side of the play yard and is surrounded by a new chain link fence and equipped with an automatic sprinkler system thanks to the money donated by The Laguna Beach Garden Club earlier this year.
The children participating in the gardening classes range from first through fifth grades and all share an exuberant love of working in the soil. The classes take place after school on Mondays and are supervised by volunteer teachers along with the help of the UCCE Master Gardeners and Laguna Beach Garden Club members.
There are raised gardening beds, one for each of the grade levels that are being prepared for planting in early November. Equipped with kid-size tools, the children are learning about how plants grow, what makes good soil for growing plants and the correct way to use garden tools, not to mention safety.
Each grade will be choosing what to plant in their garden plots, along with working together to establish a butterfly garden, a compost bin and eventually a worm farm!
Upcoming sessions include making a scare crow, fertilizing plants, and making plant teepees.
If you are interested in helping with the garden please contact Sheila Peterson at sheila@petersonville.com or call her at 949-376-9494.
|
