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Q2: LATE SPRING 2024


Grow the Garden Party

June 8th


Summer Institute for Garden-based Teaching

July 16th-19th

Rolling Applications Until Filled

Coming Soon

SY24-25 Educator Coaching Program

Application Opens August 2024*

*at least one current school staff must have attended Summer Institute

GARDEN TIP

What Kind of Mulch Should I Buy?

Spring is the perfect time for spring crops, but also the time to make plans for the summer! Here’s a great overview on maintaining a school garden in the summer. One of the best and easiest things to do for a school garden is to give everything a 2-3 inch layer of mulch because it helps with water retention and weed control. Make sure you get mulch that is free of dyes to avoid added chemicals contaminating your growing food. Our recommended vendors are:


Veteran Compost - arbor chips and straw bales

Ace Hardware - straw, hardwood, pine needles

Lowe's - straw, hardwood, cedar, pine needles, coconut fiber tree ring

  TYPES OF MULCH   

CURRICULAR CONNECTIONS

5th Graders Learn How to Grow Their Own Food


This March through May, I have been co-teaching with Ms. Pope of Friendship Blow Pierce elementary to learn why growing our own food is important and experience at least one crop from seed to plate. We started by learning how long it takes for common fruits and vegetables to grow in D.C. and connected it to math by calculating estimated harvest dates for their favorite vegetables. Students then got to know some seeds, examining the differences and competing in a guessing game. The 5th graders planted lettuce and radishes from seed on March 28th that we harvested for salads May 16th (which means our estimated 40-50 days to harvest was correct!). They also planted collard greens and strawberries from seedlings. 


We moved on to learning about soil, which included doing a soil shake to see the layers of sand, silt, and clay and taking a soil sample of their courtyard to send it to a UMass Laboratory so they could test their soil for Lead and nutrient content. (It’s under the “safe” amount, though no amount of Lead is safe, which is why we put weed block between the soil and filled the raised beds with store bought soil). Students constructed three metal beds to make a U-shape growing area, filled them with small logs, topsoil, and compost and planted sweet potato slips and watermelon, bean and sorrel seeds.  


We will end our series together with a visit from Farmer Tolu of OlaLekan Farm in Upper Marlboro, MD. Students came up with questions to ask Tolu and will learn more about her experience as a young Black farmer making her life’s passion her work. She is currently raising funds to pilot an apprenticeship program this season. 


Through this 8-week series, the 5th graders had an extremely tactile (and fun!) learning experience and now know what it takes to begin to grow their own food. 


–Allie

JOIN US AT THE WASHINGTON YOUTH GARDEN

This year’s Spring into School Gardening was a great success! Thank you to everyone who came out despite the date change (and to the few who came out in the deluge to pick up their seedlings, too). We hope the supplies and learnings you took from the event have kickstarted your spring school gardens.


Looking for another reason to come out to the Washington Youth Garden? Come visit on Saturday, June 8th, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. We have been busy this spring completing the second phase of our Grow the Garden redesign: installing a beautiful honeycomb fence around the front of the garden. To celebrate its completion, we’ve having a party! Come with friends and family, listen to the East of the River Youth Steel Drum Band, take part in some art activities, check out a food truck or two, and see the garden in its late spring bounty! Registration is welcome, but not required.


Lastly, are you a PK-5th grade teacher looking to build your school garden team, learn to use your garden for more standards-based lessons? Join us for our 2024 Summer Institute for Garden-based Teaching! The first round of applications has closed but we are accepting applications until all of our spots have been filled. If you’re interested in joining our Educator Coaching Program, the first step is to join us for this training, and school and teacher stipends are available. Have a happy and bountiful summer!


-Brianne

RESOURCES & UPCOMING EVENTS

Teaching Multilingual Leaners in the Garden Webinar

May 23rd

7:00pm


Cooking Without Heat in the School Garden

July 25th

7:00pm

Harvest and Cook Collards**

Jun 12th, 4:30-6:00pm


Basil Basics*

Jul 12th, 12:00am-1:00pm


Meatless Monday Cooking Class**

Aug 12th, 5:00-6:30pm


Flower Power*

Aug 15th, 1:00-2:00pm


Harvest and Cook: Peppers**

Sept 19th, 4:30-6:00pm


All events located at 4900 Puerto Rico Ave NE


*Register by emailing garden@capitalareafoodbank.org

**Register by emailing education@capitalareafoodbank.org

Free Outdoor Learning Virtual Workshop

7:00-8:00pm



Feb 27th: Recursos en español para aprender al aire libre

May 28th: Using Sit Spots and your Senses to Connect with Nature

June 4th: Métis Learning for the Summer Solstice

June 11th: Songs for Nature's Playground

We find great garden-based resources through other newsletters we subscribe to. Receive the SPROUT it Out listserv below.

  SUBSCRIBE TO SPROUT IT OUT  

Come see us next time you're at the National Arboretum!

The Arboretum is open every day from 8 AM - 5 PM except December 25th.

Check Our Website for Full Details >

The Washington Youth Garden hosts education and school garden support programs from Friends of the National Arboretum. By supporting FONA, you support staff connecting thousands of students each year to food, the land, and each other.

BECOME A FONA MEMBER
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Friends of the National Arboretum
3501 New York Ave NE
Washington, DC 20002
202.544.8733
FONA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization with the mission to preserve and enhance a vibrant public space and support experiential programming that instills a love of plants, nature and the outdoors in all who visit, while promoting the overarching research and education mission of the U.S. National Arboretum.

Since its inception, FONA has helped support the Washington Youth Garden, Capitol Columns, Flowering Tree Walk, horticultural and research internships, restoration of Springhouse Run, and much more.
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