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October 20, 2011

To grow a giant pumpkin for next year’s Truro Ag Fair, we decided to clear a patch behind the garden. First all the weeds needed to be pulled, piled up and then discarded. The children worked hard and took turns with hand cultivators and rakes to loosen the dirt and the weeds. Some worms were found and tossed into the garden.

• clear area using hand cultivators and rakes
• discard weeds in compost area
• add any worms to garden

September 29, 2011

Today the children picked tomatoes and composted the split ones. They pulled some large carrots and each child took one home. We found some worms and Francie asked “what’s a worm a sign of?” The answer is “a healthy garden.” Old corn stalks were pulled and composted. A root ball was dug around the marigold plant which was transplanted at the end of the second bed and the west end soil was tilled and evened out so no pooling could occur. Because of its tolerance for cool soil, more spinach was planted there with 9 or 10 seeds per foot and a 1/2″ deep. The soil was tamped down, but not too hard and lightly watered. Carrots and tomatoes were delivered to the Truro Central School.

• harvest tomatoes and carrots
• compost split tomatoes and withered corn
• dig a root ball around marigolds to transplant
• till and even out soil
• plant spinach seeds in three rows with 9-10 seeds per foot and 1/2″ deep
• deliver harvest to local school

September 22, 2011

By rotating groups, each child could work at a task. First the remaining three sunflowers were harvested by carefully loosening the soil around the roots and then pulled out and shaken into the bed. This bed, closest to the library, was cleared and prepared for planting spinach. We measured and recorded the final heights of the sunflowers with 102″ being the tallest! Tomatoes and basil were harvested and later brought to the Truro Central School. Each child took home a goody bag of oregano.

• uproot sunflowers; shake off soil; measure height; compost roots and stems; save seeds
• harvest tomatoes and basil
• clear and prepare bed for planting spinach according to packet directions
• lightly water seeds

September 5, 2011

The 4-H table looked inviting at the Truro Agricultural Fair with the children’s wool banner hanging next to it. Special thanks to Janice Redman for leading the project and Nancy Spillane for backing the banner with sturdy canvas.

September 1, 2012

Three days before the Truro Ag Fair, we picked marigolds, nasturtiums and their leaves to make bouquets and we harvested beans, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes and sage to display at the 4-H table there. We measured the sunflowers and chose the four tallest ones to enter into the “tallest sunflower” contest. Our helpful volunteers, Jill, Lou, Jack and Polly assisted in preparing for the big day. Later Jack brought a hedge trimmer to cut the stalks close to the soil.

• select flowers and leaves to make bouquets
• harvest potatoes and allow to air dry
• harvest ripe beans, carrots, tomatoes and sage
• measure and record final sunflower heights
• cut sunflowers at base of stem
• Remove root balls, shake off dirt and add to compost

August 25, 2011

Everyone was able to pick a tomato to take home to their family. The children watered, drew pictures for the Truro Ag Fair and ate some Mad Vanilla Bean ice cream donated by Savory and Sweet Escape in Truro.

August 18

After making a plan we measured the six sunflowers. Sunflower #2 grew 19″ in the last two weeks from 72″ to 91″. Wow! We also chose the biggest cucumber to enter into the Truro Ag. Fair Harvest Contest. We picked more ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, three yellow carrots along with some basil, thyme and sage to add yummy flavors. We used cucumber skins on our faces and two of the kids relaxed with cucumber slices. Observation pages focused on the biggest cucumber and picking a carrot and water was added to the compost.

• measure and record sunflower height
• choose vegetables for the Truro Ag. Fair Harvest Contest
• harvest cucumbers, tomatoes and herbs
• experiment with cucumbers to cool skin
• fill out observation page
• water compost

August 11

With a generous donation of a variety of herbs from Bayberry Gardens, the children were able to supplement the garden with: oregano, Thai basil, Aussie Sweetie basil, pineapple sage, thyme and rosemary. The children wrote 19 labels and journalled their observations. The beds were weeded and more cucumbers and tomatoes were harvested and eaten.

More favorite things. “I like:
picking carrots and tomatoes.”
all the colors from the garden.”
the cucumbers – they taste really good.”
the nasturtium flowers.”
strawberries.”

• plant herbs
• weed
• make labels
• journal

August 4

32 children came to work in the garden, look for insects and help Janice Redman complete the 4-H Banner with needle felting.  We were searching for beneficial bugs and found some spiders, inchworms, bees and butterflies. Some were placed in containers for a closer examination. Kids who hadn’t had a chance to draw insects were encouraged to draw one today and others harvested more tomatoes, cucumbers and basil to taste.

• search the garden for insects
• use magnifying glass to examine
• identify the insects
• water and weed
• harvest and sample ripe tomatoes, cucumbers and basil