We are "famous" :)

We had a nice little write up on the FCPS website! 

by Laura Wells

Service Learning Resource Teacher

Fairfax County Public Schools

571-423-4772

lcwells@fcps.edu

We are looking forward to showing her how many pounds of lettuce we can harvest!! ;)

Harvest Time! Centreville ES and Hollin Meadows ES

It’s fall, which means Harvest Time at many school gardens around the county. Fifth and sixth grade students at Centreville ES harvested over 10 pounds of lettuce and two bags of other greens from their school’s garden to donate to the Katherine Hanley Family Shelter for homeless families. Check out the link to see more pictures of the students and their delicious produce!

     

To learn more about life cycles, measurement and comparison, the Hollin Meadows Head Start students recently harvested 50 pounds of sweet potatoes from their school garden.  Students learned about what insects make their garden home, what a plant needs to grow, and how everyone in the Hollin Meadows community benefits from the school garden. There was a lot of excitement and “look what I found!” The sweet potatoes will be roasted and shared with everyone at the school, so that everyone can learn to enjoy eating fresh, healthy vegetables. Coming up in November: lettuce, kale, and spinach!

     

Lessons in the Garden!

One of my favorite things about this job is bringing our youngest students out and setting them free to explore!!  The Kinders curriculum is so full of lessons that are brought to life by coming out to the garden.  Their topics in the fall are Apples, Ants, Pumpkins and Squirrels!  Yikes-they might as well just spend the whole day outdoors!  WHAT- that is truly crazy-garden-teacher-talk ;)  Last week, the classes came out with their scientific tools(clipboards, pencils, and magnifying glasses) to study ants carrying sugar crystals twice as big as their heads back to their colonies.
This week is pumpkin study and lots of talk about life cycles and big orange fruit.  The number of things that can be made with delicious pumpkin flavors is endless(just go to Trader Joe's for proof).  When the students come to the garden, and can actually touch the plant to realize the texture and see all of the parts of a squash plant working together, it all clicks in their adorable brains.
"Kiss your Brains my friends!!"

 


 

Did You KNOW?!

I was just made aware of a situation in our community that troubles me greatly. I feel I might have to turn in my environmental steward card for missing this!

Please take a look and take action if you are so inspired- Thank you!

Since 2000 and for several years since then including 2013 and 2014, Fairfax Co., Virginia, has conducted an aerial (while not following guidelines set by the insecticide company to account for DRIFT) and ground insecticide spraying program that targets a native moth caterpillar called the fall cankerworm(little green inchworm).  Unfortunately, all butterfly and moth caterpillars that are out at the time of spraying, or that emerge while the insecticide persists on leaves or needles, are vulnerable to being killed by the insecticide.  Caterpillars are an important food source for birds that migrate through Fairfax Co. and for birds that breed and raise their young here, and also provide food for beetles, bats and other wildlife.   It should be noted that the spraying is conducted during peak migration season for songbirds--they arrive hungry and tired, and are following historically-reliable insect supplies up the East Coast.  We have put together a list of 65 breeding birds and 39 migrating birds that we believe could be harmed by the insecticide spraying, based on the presence of the birds in our area at the time of spraying as well as their diet and foraging habits: http://www.audubonva.org/images/pdfs/FCWAppCBirds.pdf  

(This year, the spraying took place on April 28 and May 1, 2014.)

The native caterpillar targeted by the spraying program poses no risk to human health or safety but unfortunately is perceived as a "nuisance" pest.  

Also, while the insecticide used is made from a naturally occurring soil bacterium, the commercial product of this insecticide is comprised primarily of undisclosed, secret ingredients (87%).   (More info on the Audubon web page.) 

This is a budget issue- the county has a line item amount that is designated to the Forestry dept. every year to pay for the spraying. The money is coming from property tax!! I don't want to pay for the killing of the caterpillars in the Mount Vernon area!! 

Please write a letter or call your county supervisor

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/government/board/board-of-supervisors-flyer.pdf 

to ask them to stop spraying insecticides for a "nuisance" caterpillar in Fairfax County. They are lacking research and any knowledge on how this is impacting the biodiversity and food chains of our ecosystem. The research they present in answer to questions actually proves the detrimental effect it has on bird populations. This program was implemented to placate a few members of the community who were complaining about the caterpillar in their back yards.

Various conservation organizations oppose this County insecticide spraying program:

•Audubon Society of Northern Virginia

•North American Butterfly Association

•Friends of Dyke Marsh

•Friends of Huntley Meadows Park

•Friends of Mason Neck State Park

•Friends of Meadowood

•Northern Virginia Bird Club

Thank you so much for your time and consideration! Let's make our voices count! I will follow up with more information as it becomes available to me.  

a photo of a magnolia warbler eating a fall cankerworm.  The photo was taken on May 12, 2013 by Dr. Ed Eder

Pre-K Sweet Potato Harvest

#50 Harvest!  Counting, measuring, weighing
 and estimating
 lessons for the rest of the school!

There are not enough ways to say the word "sweet"!

Everyone is elbow deep searching for potatoes!

Ms Tangen and Ms Keita have their hands full with an enthusiastic group :)

Lettuce seeds are Planted!

We are turning a 100% profit on our lettuce plantings this fall!  One of our parents intercepted a worker at a gardening center taking all their seeds to the dumpster :P  She acted quickly and decisively and saved us $100 on seeds for fall planting.  I should be able to use the spring planting seeds as well.  I will just have to check for germination early in the year to make sure it is all still viable but not a bad trade-off for an underfunded program!

I am also excited to say that all of those lettuce, spinach and kale seeds are safely in the ground and sprouting their delicious leaves for our Fall Luncheon.  All of our students (~645) have been through the gardens for a lesson and planting.  They will monitor and measure growth over the next couple of months and then harvest to share with our community in November.

Native Plant Sale!

Here is a link to a great Native Plant Sale that happens twice a year!  This fall is Saturday, Sept. 27th- Don't miss out for great selection and varities!

http://www.northernalexandrianativeplantsale.org/

Happy Shopping!!

First Volunteer Work Day of the School Year!

While we were all enjoying what seemed like a very short summer –the gardens were doing what they do best –growing like crazy!  COME SEE during the first Second Sunday Work Day in the Garden on Sunday, September 14^th from 1 to 3 p.m. 

Come out when you can and help us clear beds for lettuce planting, move a trellis, paint a chalkboard, and enjoy end of summer bounty in the garden!!!  Plus –we missed you, so come meet up with friends & make some new ones.  And please pass this along to new families so they can learn about one of the truly special treasures at Hollin Meadows. 

Cool water & a snack will be provided.  Hope to see you there!  JoAnne Martinez-Shriver(volunteer coordinator for garden activities)