What a crazy time to start up a schoolyard garden!

Everyone has been adapting and making lifestyle changes during the coronavirus outbreak. Right before all of this, one of our schools, Grant Elementary, had just started up their schoolyard garden after a two year hiatus due to school construction and transition. In early March the new coordinator, Anne, came to a SYG workshop and got everything ready to re-start the garden. Little did any of us know what a crazy time it would be to start up a schoolyard garden!

Thanks to new garden beds and freshly added compost, the beds were ready to be planted and Anne didn’t waste any time. With the help of students the week before spring break, Anne got most of the garden planted. It is great to see how much joy her students have as they get out into the garden for the first time!

Shortly after planting, she found out that students wouldn’t be back on the campus for the rest of the year. After some quick problem-solving, Anne decided to work with what she had and found a food pantry in KCK where she could donate the produce. Even though students haven’t been able to help maintain the garden this spring, teachers at Grant are sending students garden growth updates, with pictures of how the garden is growing so students can watch and learn!

Thanks for all you are doing to keep the garden growing and involve student’s in new, creative ways, while also supporting the community! Keep up the good work Grant Elementary!

We love hearing stories of our champions turning lemons into lemonade. Send us your schoolyard garden story at syg{at}kccg.org