The students at Holliday Montessori have been gardening for many years in four raised beds in their playground. Over the years, student and teacher interest grew, but there were not enough raised beds for every class to use. After a long period of planning, the teachers and students decided to expand their vegetable garden to allow more classes to participate and grow their own food!

Holliday teachers and students finally decided on installing 11 new raised beds, significantly expanding their growing space. Every student from 3rd grade through 6th grade participated in the garden construction. In addition to the students and teachers, there were six volunteers and three schoolyard gardens staff.

The students nailed together their cedar lumber beds, and helped measure out the beds, spacing them far enough so that they could mow in between the beds.

Shovel full by shovel full, and wheel barrel by wheel barrel, the students filled the empty beds with soil. Together, everyone moved roughly 9 cubic yards of soil. That’s over 18,000 pounds of soil!

After we built the new raised beds, we got the garden planted with spring crops. At the end of this school year, Holliday will have a harvest party with all the students and their parents participating. Harvested produce grown in their newly built garden beds will be taken home for the students and parents to enjoy.