Claude Garton School Garden

The Claude Garton School Garden will be a student-led initiative that engages students of all grades to be involved in the planning, planting, maintenance and harvest of a school vegetable and pollinator garden. The primary planting strategy is based on the Anishinaabe 3 Sisters (corn, beans and squash) with additional vegetables including potatoes and carrots. The pollinator garden will focus on but not be exclusive to milkweed for Monarch butterflies as well as other flowering plants that attract bees and other insects. Families will be integral as the summer will require a constant presence, which will come from families and the Little Lions Daycare.

Update (May 27, 2018)

We have used the funds to purchase soil for starting seeds, wood for building planters, more hose to get water to the current set-up. We have succeeded in sprouting healthy corn, squash and pumpkin plants. We also sprouted some flowers (like milkweed and marigolds) as well as cucumbers, pansies, basil and rosemary. We planted a lot of indigenous flowers as well as edible flowers. We planted carrot, bean and every other seed we had as well. (Some kids were so enthusiastic, sowed seeds in the fence-line, in beds, in the lawn, etc.). It has been a whole-school, energetic and very rewarding endeavour. Whether we can harvest from the outdoor garden, our growing and planting experience makes it a total success. Plus, we have so many bee houses to install, we feel very proud. I will continue to look to CTF for funding for this project because your contribution made all of this possible! We faced many set-backs trying to fundraise (we made "dirt cups" with student-made pudding in reusable jars, which earned us $50). But with that small amount, a lot of volunteerism and some generous donation of soil from a parent/community member, we managed to add beds and fill soil into beds already built. We at least planted what we grew. We engaged at least 50 kids on a regular basis over the series of platings, and at least 150 overall for the whole project. We are so proud! Whether or not the pictures do it justice, this garden project means so much to so many. Thank you!