Edible Schoolyard Brings Garden, Kitchen To Kids (Slideshow)
Schoolchildren receive two gardening classes and one kitchen class a month.
The 'Ramada'
The "ramada," where students begin and end each garden class (and occasionally have tastings).
Green Onions in the Garden
Extra produce is sold by students at an after-school farm stand.
Bird Feeders
The children hung bird feeders ("not for squirls") by an Asian pear tree.
Lemon Balm
In the meantime, volunteers and staff keep up the garden.
'Joe's Peppers'
One particular volunteer is Joe, an alum of P.S. 216 who graduated in 1989, who gardens every day.
Compost Rules
Children learn how to compost, recycling used food to create soil for their gardens.
Composting
Compost bins designate the stages of composting each batch is at.
Leeks
More than 60 varieties of plants are grown on the half-acre site.
The Hoop House
The hoop house encases 720 square feet of usable gardening space for inclement weather.
Swiss Chard
The garden serves 600 students, pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, teaching them to grow, harvest, and prepare produce (and enjoy fruits and vegetables, too).
Persimmons
Last year, the garden produced more than 2,000 pounds of produce; at its peak, it should produce approximately 3,200 pounds of produce a year.
Inside the Greenhouse
Inside the greenhouse, which has a slanted roof to collect rainwater to irrigate the garden. It also contains a sink, tabletop, and composting station, along with six growing tables.
The Kitchen
The kitchen, complete with an oven, three refrigerators, one freezer, one pantry closet, one washer, one dryer, and a sink with a dishwasher.
The Greenhouse
The greenhouse doors lead out to the garden.