6th grade is getting off to a rousing start w/ two weeks of salsa & salads. Today we picked tomatoes, kale, basil, and even rainbow carrots. I made a tasty raspberry balsamic/olive oil dressing and we were on our way.
Once again coming together to harvest, chop, prepare, and mix a delicious bowl of Orca goodness. Fresh, local, organic, and fun.
What a fabulous day picking all the herbs & plants in the garden for a lovely bouquet. They all got a nice collection of lavender, mint, 7-up plant, calendula, fruit sage, curry plant, sunflowers, ferns, and more.We talked about pollinating plants and how important they are to the Orca garden.
This activity really gives us a chance to explore the garden and also practice the rules of the garden. They did a great job. It really is great to have them take something home- something very diverse, beautiful, and interesting.
We had a great scavenger hunt today for 5 fresh things from the garden. We really stress the importance of a timely harvest to make sure nothing is wasted in the garden. The herbs are for pizza/spaghetti spice later, the potatoes are for french fries in the future, and the kale & pesto were about to be eaten right here as pesto.
Having some time to really explore the garden is important. This activity really falls in line w/ Orca’s philosophy of “freedom with responsibility”. The scavenger hunt lead to some fabulous pots o’ gold at the end- a delicious kale/basil pesto, chunks of fresh corn, and new mint tea.
We made the pesto up right there w/ a blender after they snagged the ingredients. We just add olive oil & salt (no nuts or dairy).
This corn was off the hook. Unfortunately there really is only enough for a couple classes to enjoy- but they will love it indeed.
Isn’t salsa the perfect metaphor for life? Life is so much better with different flavors, textures, and colors. This Orca salsa we made today had all that and more.
It was also the perfect introduction for our 6th grade science & garden class. Coming together, harvesting, and breaking bread as a community. These tomatoes were grown organically from seed here at Orca. We had so many varieties of heirlooms, Romas, cherries, and more.
Local, organic food just plain tastes better. So we start off our year with a delicious activity that excites minds and taste buds.
It really was a hit with the students- they came, they harvested, they ate, and they conquered. Viva la salsa! We also listened to an amazing Cuban salsa mix from youtube. Play it here!
Check out some more fabulous pics from our salsa day right here:
Oh the joy of the first day of kindergarten GARDEN! We tried a few delicious parts of the garden- cherry tomatoes, mint, fennel, and of course- carrots. We practiced walking in the garden, went over expectations, and tried to explore and eat as much as possible. Our job here in the Orca Garden is to excite kids about the natural world, grow and eat delicious foods, and learn to be stewards of the Earth.
We really try to get students to try new things. Especially in kindergarten it can be a struggle to try foods that you are not used to or have never seen. So we try, try, try again and again to harvest and eat delicious new (and old!) treats from the garden.
The rainbow carrots were a hit and we even fed the scraps to our beloved worm bin- “The Transformation Station”. Stay tuned for more garden updates!
We are excited for another amazing year of progressive garden education. This includes the exploration of food in all it’s forms. We delve into social justice, nutrition, environmental awareness, activism, and more. We want to especially welcome new students & families! Orca is a special place and the garden really is a place where all students and families belong.My name is Anthony and I will be the teacher facilitating all the delicious and rewarding activities in the garden
The garden is looking amazing after a beautiful summer. Thank you to all the families who helped water- we appreciate it. Soon we will be reaping the benefits w/ lots of food to eat, herbs to harvest, seeds to collect, and food to donate to the food bank. The tomatoes are looking as juicy as ever. The bean pole teepees are as massive as I have ever seen. The lavender bushes are buzzing with bees. It’s all ready for kids to get deep into it!
The Orca K-8 School Garden Blog! 