November and December have been months of worms, garlic, calendula flowers, and even a windstorm, each playing a role in the learning at the Wickaninnish Community School Garden. As our harvest season draws to a close, we’ve been lucky to enjoy some of the garden’s treats: sweet, crunchy carrots fresh from the greenhouse and plump, tiny tomatoes have been highlights. Fall-planted greens and colourful edible flowers added vibrant colors and flavours to our garden snacks as we worked on amending the soil for the next growing season.
Our senior participants had a fantastic field trip to the local composting depot, where we received an informative in-service and a generous donation of compost. This compost, combined with our own and some bull kelp and seaweed created a cozy blanket for all our greenhouse beds, preparing them for the winter months.
Chef Ron worked his culinary magic with potatoes harvested from our garden, transforming them into a delicious treat that was enjoyed by all. Another garden favourite, the Chilean guava, has been a huge hit this year. These tiny, flavourful berries thrive on our coast and have provided handfuls of sweet snacks.
November brought a month full of learning experiences, especially in worm farming. Our garden came alive as we set up a cozy tower and bucket homes for our new red wiggler friends. With guidance from red wiggler expert Daniel Lamarche, the children learned how to distinguish between earthworms and red wigglers. They eagerly searched through compost and soil, collecting both, and gathered all the necessary materials to create a snug home for their wiggly friends.The students decided which foods were the worms’ favourites, learned how to prepare meals with the perfect mix of carbon and nitrogen, and explored how to harvest the nutrient-rich compost known as “worm poop” to our little green thumbs. They’re always excited to check in on their worm farms.
Mother Nature challenged our worm farming efforts though! A powerful storm lifted our small greenhouse and scattered the carefully set-up worm homes and tools. We’re incredibly grateful to our school neighbours, who came to the rescue and helped us carefully secure the greenhouse until we could assess the damage. Thankfully, the worm tower remained intact.When we returned to school, we took a closer look at the greenhouse. Our amazing students engineered many creative solutions to secure it, with ideas ranging from anchoring it with big rocks to tying it to sturdy trees or even gluing it to the ground. Their sweet and thoughtful concern for the worms and equipment was heartwarming.To keep our wiggly friends safe, we relocated the worm tower and bucket homes into the Grade 1 classroom until the greenhouse can be repaired. The worms are cozy and well cared for, thanks to our wonderful teacher and students.
On the planting front, garlic took centre stage this month. With 75 bulbs carefully tucked into a trough and the new lasagna garden the students created, we are dreaming of braided garlic bundles for next summer’s fundraiser.
On Sunday, December 15, we hosted our annual Deck the Halls event to decorate our food forest. Thank you to all who came to gather in the food forest for caroling, hot chocolate, and tree trimming. It was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate community spirit and seasonal joy. The start of winter has been a whirlwind of activities and life-learning experiences for us all. Our little gardens are treasures, brimming with life and offering invaluable lessons. They provide our students with a place to learn and practice resilience, humility, problem-solving, connection, and acceptance. Living in the moment, tasting our juicy harvest, and planning for the future fills us with hope. Thank you for being part of this journey—we can’t wait to share the exciting experiences the new year has in store!
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