ADOPT A GARDEN AREA at Birch Lane

This year folks can help out our school by "Adopting a Garden".  These are gardens that are not maintained by the school district or by classes; they are outdoor learning areas and campus beautification projects.  By adopting a garden you can choose Fall,Winter or Spring to be responsible for an area.

As our Classroom Garden Volunteers get starting working with our kids, we can give support by taking care of other parts of the landscape at Birch Lane Elementary. Please click on the links below to sign up to help

             
              The MPR Gardens
              The Arboretum Gardens and Fence line
              The Castle Courtyard
              The Geo Garden
              The Compost and Worm Bin area
              The South Garden

              The Kindergarten Play Area
              The California Native Garden

LET’S GET IT STARTED!

It’s that time again, and many have been busy in Birch Lane Gardens already! School starts up a week from today, and our gardens are looking great due to the summer care they received from: Soji Howe, Tara Diel, Carol Joyce, Stephanie Moss, Eleanor, Robyn Waxman, Craig and Autumn Labbe-Renault, Angie Purves, Cathy Ishikawa, Shari Walter, Michele Long, Rosanne Testerman, Anna May Testerman and Karen Farley… I may have missed someone, and if so please let me know! GREAT work people J

Most of the classes will have something to harvest as soon as they get garden volunteers to get gardening happening! I’m seeing a lot of basil and tomatoes, with corn, squash and beans (Three Sisters) in there as well! Take some time to tour the gardens, and let me know if you want me to lead it!

For those with gardens ready to plant, here is a fall vegetable planting chart to check out: http://redwoodbarn.com/PDF/fallvegchart.pdf  We need to start seeds ASAP in the DHS greenhouse. There’s also some general housekeeping we need to get done before next week.

So, let's get it started!

Thanks,

Debra Ariola

If you’re interested in helping the garden program in any way, please contact Garden Coordinator Debra Ariola at: blgardeners@sbcglobal.net, or leave a note in the Birch Lane Office.

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.