mweddin

Jan 30, 2024

Introducing North Carolina’s Pollinators

While it may feel cold and dreary outside now, spring is just around the corner. The arrival of spring and spring flowers also ushers in the arrival of pollinators who are busy ensuring the reproduction of flowering plants. Have you ever wondered who our pollinators are? Let’s meet some of our North Carolina pollinators. Bees… 

Jan 30, 2024

Garden Clubs: Cabarrus Early College

Sometimes we intentionally choose gardening, and sometimes gardening finds us. For the Cobra Service Club at Cabarrus Early College of Technology, the latter is true. The students did not sign up for a garden club, but rather a service club. However, as the club considered how to serve others, gardening and its potential impact on… 

Nov 23, 2023

Native Plants

There’s a lot of buzz about the benefits of native plants. Let’s take a look at a few of those benefits through our school garden lens.  1. Local Ecosystems  Creating (or protecting) an area that offers an authentic representation of your local ecosystem in (or near) the school garden helps students recognize plants they may observe in… 

Nov 23, 2023

School Garden Clubs: Hickory Ridge Middle School

We regularly emphasize that the school garden is a space where students can engage in all subject areas, not just an area for the science teachers, but you don’t have to take our word for it; just ask the students at Hickory Ridge Middle School in Harrisburg, NC. Doug interviewed art teacher, Lindsey Kiral, who… 

Sep 23, 2023

Pollinator Q&A

You may also notice a recurring theme through our newsletters this year as we focus on pollinators. Join us as we explore this important aspect of nature, including how it can be incorporated into the school garden. To start things off, we’ll lay a foundation with some broad basics in this Q&A. Q: What is pollination? … 

Sep 23, 2023

School Garden Clubs: Kannapolis YMCA

According to the National Institutes of Health, the number of school gardens is on the rise, and we’re excited to be a part of that trend. How school gardens are used and who manages them varies widely. We’ve mostly focused on curriculum connections and how standards-based lessons can be delivered in the garden space. However,… 

Jul 21, 2023

Sweet Potato Tacos!

May 23, 2023

Nutrition from the Garden

When I go out to schools, I often ask students, “Why is it important to eat fruits and vegetables?” The typical response I get is “it’s good for you,” or “they’re healthy,” but very few students or adults for that matter can tell me anything specific. I decided to ask my coworker, Cheri Granillo to… 

May 23, 2023

Curriculum Connection: Art In the Garden

Spring has sprung, and it’s the perfect time to take learning outdoors! One way to do this is by incorporating art into your school garden. Not only does art in the garden provide a creative outlet for students, it also fosters a deeper connection to the natural world. By observing and depicting the plants, animals,…