Creemore students to dig in to freshness come harvest

Young minds aren’t the only things growing at Nottawasaga and Creemore Public School these days.

Students are building and growing gardens as part of a school project that is extending to the community at large.

The project began with a group of parents who pitched the idea to parent council and school staff.

Juliette Reynolds said she visited Huntsville last summer where a friend had initiated a program called farmers in the playground.

“They were doing a lot of farm-to-cafeteria, so the food that they were growing, they were eating it at school,” said Reynolds.

The program inspired Reynolds to reach out to her friends and a seed was planted. From there, it became a community project and a way to bridge a gap between the school and the rest of the community.

Students have been building raised bed frames, preparing soil and planting a square-foot style garden.

Some of the plants will be getting a head start at Stayner Collegiate Institute’s greenhouse.

Reynolds said the hope is that by establishing the gardens, the school will be inspired to incorporate them into the existing curriculum.

She said there has already been a lot of enthusiasm from staff.

“So many people want this,” said Reynolds. “Whenever I see a school with a garden, I think, they are progressive, they are doing something that really matters.”

On Tuesdays and Thursdays between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. parent volunteers will be available to help students in the garden during allocated daily physical activity time.

During the summer months, students are encouraged to continue caring for the garden and certain community groups have offered to help.

The garden has received a commitment of a three-year donation from Jon Hogben of Jerrico Industrial Maintenance, who has children at the school.

The New Farm is donating soil and compost and others businesses are donating money and supplies. Individual gardeners are encouraged to donate plants, so that the money can be earmarked for education programs and guest speakers.

Toward the end of the year, students will celebrate the first harvest and be given a chance to vote on what to name the garden. At that time, the Grade 8 students will plant a legacy fruit tree, a gift for their teachers and future students.

Anyone wishing to donate or sign up as a parent volunteer is asked to e-mail creemore.school.garden@gmail.com.