Plans For a New Growing Season

The Master Gardeners from Penn State Extension visited recently to help plan the coming growing season.  Popular vegetables from last year like broccoli and cauliflower will make a comeback along with some new combinations.  Several classes have already planted seeds and are carefully tending them so we will have seedlings to plant soon.  Stay tuned for more news!

Butterfly Garden Plans Take Flight!

Mr. Rick Micula, a nationally recognized, award-winning author, lecturer, and butterfly farmer came recently to talk to the second grade classes.  

As you can see, Mr. Micula gave students a vivid firsthand account of the world of a butterfly.  The second grade students are busy learning all they can about butterflies in order to design a butterfly habitat area in the Outdoor Classroom.  This endeavor is an exciting example of a project-based learning curriculum, in which students will work cooperatively to conduct research, problem-solve, debate, and make decisions - all to reach their goal of creating a school butterfly garden. We'll keep you updated on their progress!

Wescosville Library a Treasury of Garden Resources

Last fall, a new assortment of books about gardening, composting and about how to incorporate these and other outdoor topics into elementary curricula were added to the Wescosville Library collection.

The books are full of interesting and easy-to-do projects in language arts, science and math.  They will be a valuable resource for students, teachers and parents.  

Thank you Mrs. Newton!

Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser a Success

On March 5th, a Spaghetti Dinner was held in the Wescosville School cafeteria to benefit the Outdoor Classroom Project. Over $700 dollars was raised!

More than 200 people attended, sitting down to enjoy a family-style meal of spaghetti, meatballs, and salad served by volunteers, followed by delicious homemade desserts thanks to volunteer bakers. Music by Mr. Williams, Mrs. Cooke, and Ms. Davenport, the elementary string ensemble and elementary band ensemble provided the perfect dining entertainment.

After dinner, Mr. Mauer hosted some lively rounds of bingo, complete with mystery prizes.

Throughout the evening, guests could buy tickets to enter a basket raffle with an exciting selection of 15 prizes, all generously donated by the following local businesses:

Cottage of Emmaus

Creative Photography by Jill Cramer

The Da Vinci Science Center

The Finish Line in Emmaus

House Splendid

Kim's Kountry Kreations of Emmaus

Men's Health of Rodale

Organic Gardening of Rodale

Pure Sprouts Organic Delivery Service

The Swim-In Zone

The Wescosville Elementary Library

The Wildlands Conservancy

Please help us thank these businesses by remembering them with your patronage.

First Season Wrap-up

Here's a brief recap of the 2009 inaugural season of the Wescosville Outdoor Classroom vegetable garden.

The last vegetables - lettuce, peppers, broccoli, carrots, and some other cold-hardy plants were harvested as late as November, just before the first hard frost. Mr. Moyer and some students harvested the last vegetables together. After a rinse they were enjoyed in the school cafeteria.

Following the growth of the garden has been a fun way to track the passage of time. Here is a photo from the first day of planting on Earth Day, April 22, 2009.

Here we are a month later. The sunflower plants are lining the left side of the bed, broccoli and cauliflower plants are in the middle with zinnia companion plants sprinkled in-between.

Just two months later in July.

Some fruits of our labor . . .

Now is a good time to give some thanks:

Thank you to Mr. Barry George, who kindly donated his time and expertise to build our beautiful raised beds.

Thank you to the 16 families who each gave a week during the summer to water and tend the garden.

Thank you to the wonderful team of Penn State Master Gardeners led by Linda Sheftel, who helped plan the garden and donated plants, materials and hours of their their time helping with the garden, even making themselves available during the summer months for advice and assistance. We are fortunate to benefit from this great volunteer program.

Last but not least, a sincere thank you to those of you who have helped support the garden by purchasing Jose Madrid salsa, Christmas wreaths and participating in other fundraising activities.

Speaking of which, our next fundraiser is a Spaghetti Dinner on Friday, March 5th. We'll have Bingo for the kids and a basket raffle. Tickets are just $6/adult and $3/child with pre-school and under free.