SUMMER GARDEN CARE @ BIRCH LANE

Our gardens are sustained throughout the summer so that harvest can happen when our children return in the fall. I'd like to have as many of us involved as possible, so that we have a presence at Birch Lane during the summer, and so that the work and the harvests are shared!

• The MPR Gardens
• The Arboretum Gardens and Fenceline
• The Castle Courtyard
• The Geo Garden
• The Compost and Worm Bin area
• The Gardens under the Trees
• The South Garden
• The Kindergarten Boxes
• The Native Garden

 

Spring Fling and Tour de Cluck this Saturday!

We'll have loads of fun this Saturday at Birch Lane with our Spring Fling Carnival and Silent Auction coinciding with the Tour de Cluck Chicken Coop Tour of Davis!

• Judy Leatherman and her Old Timey Fiddling Group will be playing chicken themed music.
• We'll have items for sale to benefit the school gardens including goodies, plants and jewelry.
• Dorothy Peterson will be on hand to talk about the school garden programs and Davis Farm to School.
• Davis High students will have information about chickens and FFA to share.
• Our gardens will be on display for folks to get an idea of how our campus can be used for garden based education. Debra Ariola will be available for general gardening questions.

This is all in addition to all the wonderful activities happening all over campus! Don't miss the fun, it should be memorable :)

A busy week ahead gearing up for Spring Fling and the Tour de Cluck on Sat. May 14!

We joined the Tour de Cluck "Clucksters" in the parade at Picnic Day this year as we draw attention to Davis Farm to School Foundation and the fact that we have the first elementary school chicken coop in Davis! We are on the tour this year.... bwaaak!!

While showing off our gardens this week with a DF2SF garden tour Wednesday and the festivities on Saturday, garden volunteers are getting busy with students planting our classroom gardens! Irrigation is getting repaired and planting is happening now, so that plants will be established and producing when school returns in August. Fall harvest of loads of fresh food is the goal.

Wednesday morning at drop-off garden folks will meet in room 6 for discussions about plantings, irrigation, Spring Fling, Tour de Cluck and garden art.  I will go over simple drip system repair, planting for harvest, special events and fun garden art. Please come if you can and if you have the time this week I'll put you to work, sharing with you my list of things to do...
Thanks,

Deb

Jeffrey the Angora Rabbit gets a Hare cut

FFA President Joyce Pexton brought Jeffrey down to size, removing some very matted fir that disguised the fact that he's quite a small bunny after all! He'll look a bit strange for a while, but with regular brushing, he'll have our hands twitching to touch that oh-so-soft hare once again. He's one hoppy bunny now =:)

A before photo of Jeffrey being held by one of Mrs. Owings' students. That's one fluffy bunny!

Garden Sale Wed.- Fri. Ends April 15, 6PM!

Last day of our Spring Garden Sale at Birch Lane! Tomatoes, Peppers, Eggplant, Impatiens, Lobelia, Begonias, Marigolds, Petunias, Vinca, Herbs, California natives, trees and shrubs. Open unti 6pm! Supports our school garden program :-)
Some of the California natives you'll find today:
Evergreen Currant, Blue Eyed Grass, Emily Brown Ceanothus, Howard McMinn Manzanita, Sticky Monkey Flower and Cleveland Sage.
Tomatoes: Brandywine, Beefsteak, Big Rainbow, Sugar Sweetie, Sungold, San Marzano, Speckled Roman, Yellow Pear, Silvery Fir Tree, Crimson Carmelo and more.
Peppers and Chilis: Anaheim, Sweet Chocolate, Golden Bell, California Wonder Bell, Red Knight Bell, Poblano, Jalapeno, Pasilla Negro and others.
Herbs: Lavenders like Hidcote, Grosso and Goodwin Creek, Lemon Thyme, Greek Oregano, Stevia and more.
Roses: Cecile Bruner Polyantha rose and Ballerina shrub rose.
Shrubs: Pineapple Guava, Cotoneaster, Lavatera, Hopi Crape Myrtle, Butterfly Iris and Lion's Tail.
Arts and Crafts: Chicken and garden themed jewelry, beaded Suncatchers and Succulents in vinyl record planters. Ceramics.

Garden, Recycled and Nature Crafts made after school Monday & Tuesday!

April 11th and 12th are our afternoons to get creative making fun crafts from and for the garden and gardeners. We can make our popular "Suncatchers" from CDs and recycled beads and dangles, lavender sachets from the gardens, garden themed beaded earrings and much more! New ideas are much appreciated!

SCHOOL GARDEN SALE ON-LINE!

The Garden programs at Birch Lane, Korematsu and Davis High Schools have teamed up and worked hard to bring a very special selection of plants that you can order on-line at: http://www.mykorematsu.com/plant-sale 

 

Marc Ishisaka-Nolfi at Korematsu Elementary has done a beautiful job of building a site with fabulous photos of the plants, a shopping cart and even Pay-Pal! Plants propagated primarily by students at Birch Lane and DHS, have been growing beautifully in the high school greenhouse which is managed by Ag and Hort teachers Amy and Jim Schulte.

 

When you order on-line you'll get first shot at special flowers like Impatiens, Begonias, Lobelia, Marigolds, Petunias and Blue Salvia in large 6-packs. A very nice selection of Tomatoes, Peppers, Herbs, Succulents, Perennials and even a few shrubs are available first to orders on-line.

 

On-line orders can be made through April 6 and can be picked up at Birch Lane near the office on Wed. April 13 between 1:00 and 5:30. Each site has their own pick-up day/time.

Each of our programs will be hosting garden sales on-site as well.

 

BACK FROM SPRING BREAK TO GARDEN FUN!

We'll have our traditional after-school workshops on both Monday and Tuesday, April 11 and 12 in or near Rm. 6. We'll create fun natural and recycled crafts along with the ever popular beaded earrings for our on-site spring garden sale!

 

Our spring garden sale at Birch Lane will run Wednesday through Friday, April 13 - 15 under the canopy near the office.