The Need For School Gardens Is Now

School gardens are more important now than they have ever been. We're all hearing the statistics about what's happening to our health... not to mention the environment. Thankfully school gardens are on the rise in the United States. More and more school districts are discovering the benefits of adding a teaching garden to their school yard. With childhood obesity increasing and the need for ways to boost academics, gardening seems to be quite the perfect match. Add to that learning some basic life skills, environmental stewardship, and even community involvement to name a few.

You've heard the term, "If they grow it, they will eat it?" It's true! Students will start out saying, “I don't eat broccoli." and they'll end up begging for more! I know this first hand. Something just changes in child when they have been the ones who have planted, cared for and finally harvest their food. You can just feel the sense of pride in students as they are take bits of this and that home to their families to try. Not only that, but discussions start about what vegetables they want to try to grow at home with their families. The door just seems to open to a whole new attitude toward good food. The whole process from start to finish encourages healthy living.

Academic achievement is listed as the number one reason schools choose to start a garden. With TAKS testing, every bit of help for students to achieve higher test scores is imperative to Texas schools. Thankfully, tests show that third, fourth, and fifth grade students that participated in school gardening activities scored significantly higher on science achievement tests compared to students that did not experience any garden-based learning activities. (Klemmer, C.D., Waliczek, T.M. & Zajicek, J.M. (2005). Growing Minds: The Effect of a School Gardening Program on the Science Achievement of Elementary Students. HortTechnology. 15(3): 448-452.) Many other subjects are covered in and through the gardening process, making the time spent even more valuable. Having “hands-on” time using a skill learned in a subject helps a student to truly understand it better and make it their own.

The world we live in today and in the future is going to have some tough challenges. News about peak oil, global warming and even here with our own droughts and water restrictions, all lead us to live more responsibly. Equipping children to be able to deal with these is necessary. Good gardening skills are becoming more important than ever.

It’s hard to find anything else that can even compare to these advantages. Wouldn’t it also be a great way to show our community about what special things are going on at your school? For as much hard work that goes on inside of the classrooms, having a garden helps to show off a school’s dedication to the care of its students. And if President Obama is putting in a vegetable garden at the White House, what a great time it is to start yours!

For more ideas and inspiration visit: KidsGardening.com

Composting With Worms

I never thought I would be singing the praises of raising worms, but in fact, I’m quite proud of them. They work dutifully day to day without a single complaint--doing jobs the rest of us would never want to even touch. I will take all of the help I can get when it comes to dealing with my garbage and helping in the garden. These lowly heroes at my house are known as red wigglers (Lumbricus rubellus). They are not your average earthworm, but are quite unique.
Red wigglers are the most recommended composting worms. In nature, they are often found in aged manure piles as smaller worms marked with red and buff colored stripes. The fact that they prefer a composting type of environment makes them superior to standard earthworms, which prefer mostly soil and like to burrow deeper into the ground. Red wigglers can be contained and be perfectly content in the process.
It’s really easy to get started with raising worms and can be done practically anywhere. I have even known people who live in apartments to raise them in a bin indoors. It may sound gross, but I know from experience that the worms should not smell bad or make a mess. If they do, then you know there’s a problem. Something as simple as a dark colored plastic tote with plenty of small holes drilled in it for ventilation and drainage is a good start. From there you can upgrade to some of the fancier bins available on the market.
Worms are not too picky when it comes to eating either. I like to feed mine coffee grounds, tea bags, crushed egg shells, and veggie scraps. There are only a few things I won’t add to the bin, such as meat or greasy foods. Some recommend that you keep orange peels and onions out of there too. My main concern in feeding them now is the amount of scraps I place in there at a time. If too much is added, the bin can heat up like a traditional compost bin does during the decomposition process, which exceeds the ideal temperature range for these worms, which is between 50-80 degrees.

Your reward for keeping red wigglers will be the wonderful worm castings that are the digested garbage ready for your garden. “Earthworm castings in the home garden often contain 5 to 11 times more nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium as the surrounding soil. Secretions in the intestinal tracts of earthworms, along with soil passing through the earthworms, make nutrients more concentrated and available for plant uptake, including micronutrients” according to New Mexico State University Extension. That sounds good to me!

There is plenty of information available online to get started. Resources, such as above, are found at: http://cahe.nmsu.edu/pubs/_h/h-164.pdf . A book that is fun and very helpful in everything you would want to know about keeping worms is Worms Eat My Garbage by Mary Applehof.

Count Your...

Count your garden by the FLOWERS
Never by the leaves that fall
Count your DAYS by golden hours
Don't remember clouds at all
Count your nights by STARS not shadows
Count your LIFE by smiles not tears
And to bring you joy this DAY
Count your age by FRIENDS not years
--unknown

Alltop - Top Gardening News

Being a girl who loves to garden, of course I want to know the skinny on what's going on in the gardening world around me! I don't get the REAL garden programs anymore, so I look elsewhere...

Here is a great resource for those looking to explore what others are doing:

Alltop - Top Gardening News

**Disclosure - I cannot be held responsible for the enormous amount of time you lose out of your day perusing this site. :P

Looking Down The Garden Row

Working on my large veggie garden this year has been quite a challenge. The time and resources it's taken to put it together have taken some work..and still more.

Running a water line back to our garden was a huge priority. In our climate, it hardly rains come July and August, so the garden would be in shambles if I had to drag a hose way out there every few days. It just wouldn't work.

My handy husband has set all of this up so I can start running drip lines down each garden row. This will reduce evaporation that occurs here from overhead watering and reduce fungal disease that often happens when water hits the leaves of plants.

Also, living in an area where drought is a possibility, we have to do everything we can to conserve water. Drip irrigation is the most efficient way we can water our garden. I will elaborate on other water conservation practices at a later time for gardens too.


I don't know if you can tell by this picture, but I'm using a form of gardening called Intensive. This is different than traditional row gardening and very similar to the popular Square Foot Gardening Method.

In this method, you are able to plant more veggies in less space. The beds are set up in a way that once they are prepared, they are left that way. You don't walk in them or cultivate them like a traditional garden. Over time, as needed, amendments are worked in by hand to build and replenish the soil. (and as you can see by the color of our soil we have a lot of silt which is grayish color and have a lot more compost and amendments to add for years to come)

There are several reasons I chose this method, even though we do have plenty of space for any type of garden.

** It's really windy and dry here at times so I want to reduce the transevaporation rate of the plants. Basically the plants and the soil dry out really quickly with sun and wind. By planting these closer in a cluster-like form, it forms a higher level of humidity within the plant group, reducing the evaporation rate thus better protecting the plants

** Pollination rate is higher when planting in groups rather than rows. This is especially true with corn. If you want higher corn yields, plant a square grouping of corn rather than a row.

** Living on silt loam, the water drainage is slow. The beds are mounded and slightly raised to keep from drowning the plants. which brings me to another point.

You may be able to tell from the latter photo that we are digging trenches that run the length of the garden. This is our walkway and also a way to hold/drain rainwater when it falls mostly to prevent pooling and flooding of our garden. It will also help to irrigate water deeper into the soil over a period of several days.

Our garden doesn't look like much now, but as the weeks progress we should be in better shape. Between our winter drought and trying to get the water line ran this past week, we have had our challenges. Now add that wonderful rain over the past few days... yes, I'm gaining hope. :)

Top 10 Things I've Learned From My Chickens

Our girls, the chookas, have taught us:

10. They don't like any kind of rodents, especially mice, and they're fast enough to catch them. Grabbing them with their beaks and slamming the mouse into the ground multiple times until they're dead is how they handle them. Oh, and then they eat them.

9. They like attention. Of course it's on their terms. Some will crouch down nearly to the ground, bowing their backs if they don't like it. They'd rather be petted on the side.

8. I now understand the term, "Don't get your feathers ruffled!"...Cause it came from chickens. If I do #9 and they're not happy, well ruffled feathers and complaining is what I get. It's hysterical to watch.

7. Be careful what you wear when you go visit them in their yard and coop. They're fascinated with shoe strings, shiny buttons and holes. Oh, and add just about anything that stands out. If they come up to you and their eyes become fixed and trance-like on something you're wearing, you're fixin' to get it pecked or pulled. Again, it's funny to watch them do this. Well, that is if you're well protected.

6. As with #7, don't make the mistake and enter their yard with shorts on. Even the slightest freckle fascinates them and deserves a peck. My son learned that one the hard way even though the rest of us laughed.

5. I've learned to pet them with my hand that doesn't have a ring on it. Shiny things deserve to be pecked and pulled. It hasn't hurt but it sure puts them in a trance when they notice it on my hand.

4. Laying an egg brings on a big celebration. Screams and calls go round the chicken yard when one is laid. The one who lays it is as proud as a new father passing out cigars. We have a few others who like to spread the news when others lay also. Goldie is our biggest cheerleader of the bunch.

3. Live grasshoppers are the best thing ever to watch them scramble to catch. We purposely throw them in their yard for the entertainment. One grabs the hopper and the rest chase the one who has it. It kind of reminds me of football. They will run back and forth several times with a crowd following. Sometimes another chicken will snatch it away if it can. Then comes the killing. Just like with mice, it slams the grasshopper into the ground several times to kill it before it will eat it. Fun times....

2. Chickens will eat nearly anything. We feed them weeds, table scraps, things from the garden etc. They are composting machines! Oh, and they love spicy fire ants for a snack too, yeah!

1. Chickens are just plain fun. I walk into the yard and up on their roost they hop to see me. They like the attention. With their floppy comb, jerky head movements and fascination with whatever you have makes me smile. I would advise though, not to be eye to eye with a chicken without a barrier. Remember their obsession with shiny things...well eyes are just that. I've not had mine pecked, but I know there is potential for that. Again fun times if you come out with both eyes...

Our Benny is somewhere amongst the sea of brown hens. Every once in a while, she remembers when she used to hop up on my lap and wanted to be petted. She then comes running and circling around my legs enjoying a bit of attention like she used to get. It doesn't last long, sadly, before she again blends back into the crowd.

After having chickens, I think everyone should have a couple. Cheap entertainment, amazing composters and eggs ta' boot. It's worth it I say!

National Wildlife Week - March 16-20, 2009

For those who know me, know that one of my passions is to connect children with nature and the world around them. Many fond memories of childhood come from time I spent outside skipping, hopping and just plain observing the happenings around me. From watching honeybees light onto clover flowers in the fields to collecting leaves and rocks that somehow struck me as interesting, I made my rounds every chance I was given.

There's just a connection with nature that comes when intentional effort is made in observing it. Just how amazingly complex and balanced our world is continues to awe me as I try to organize it in my mind. To imagine that each insect, plant, animal etc. plays a role in keeping our world beautiful and healthy is mind blowing to me. That is why I can't help but get excited at the opportunity to help others connect to world around them.



A quote from NWF website follows:

About National Wildlife Week

Children, teens, and adults are invited to connect with nature in their neighborhood during National Wildlife Week, March 16-20, 2009.

What is National Wildlife Week?

Since 1938, National Wildlife Week has been essential to wildlife conservation, bringing awareness about the issue to people of all ages. Observing National Wildlife Week is a time to honor wildlife, bring communities together through service, ignite the minds of children and adults, and instill an absolute love of nature.

Why Celebrate National Wildlife Week?

An easy way to participate in this week-long event is by making time for outdoor play and interaction with the natural world. Research shows that a daily Green Hour^® improves one's physical, mental and emotional well-being. This is especially important for children who typically spend hours in front of electronic media. Additionally, families and communities connected to nature raise healthier kids and inspire a life-long appreciation of wildlife and the environment.

How Do I Get Started?

The National Wildlife Week website offers resources for kids, teens, parents, and educators to make spending time outdoors easier than ever. Download free activities and games, Wildlife Watch lists of local plants and animals, environmental service project ideas, and fact sheets about the benefits of playing outside.

National Wildlife Federation welcomes you to join us during this annual celebration.

It All Starts With The Soil

"I have bad soil" is one of the most common phrases I hear from potential gardeners. And in our part of the country it's really not surprising. Black-land clay is what runs through most of the area. It can be sort of funny at times to hear casual conversation among our master gardening group when they pose the question, "What kind of soil do you have?" and if you are one of the few people to say, "sandy loam", you can literally here the "awwws" from the crowd. Yes, we have soil envy here...

Soil can be confusing at times on how to handle it. Most of us just keep dumping things in it sort of like homemade soup without a recipe, hoping we come up with the right formula. At least that's been my way of handling things for years. But what do you really need to do? Finding out my exact soil type and what it's lacking beforehand makes me REALLY look good as a gardener when my plants succeed!

I found this resource on soil maps available from the USDA. It's a bit tricky to maneuver around but the information is amazing. If you click on the green button titled, "Start RSS", you are on your way. It would even be great if you were looking to purchase certain types of land by using this tool.

I found out that our soil is called, "Wilson Silt Loam". Who would've thought? I'd never heard of such until I did this research. It made sense though when I thought about it further. It's a cropland soil and from what I've learned about the history of our property, cotton was grown here for quite a while.

Amazingly, when I did a bit more searching, the property directly across our narrow one-lane road in front of our house is "Black-Land Clay", while 200 feet to the east of our property is yet another soil called "Clayton Silt Loam." I don't know why, but that amazes me.

Thankfully the USDA website also gives very detailed information on each soil type that includes drainage, water retention, flooding potential, land use etc. Which is invaluable if you are trying to figure out what you can do with your property in the first place.

With the knowledge I have now, that our whole property is Wilson Silt Loam, I now only need to crank up the composter and start working it in. Now if I had Black-land Clay, well that's a whole other ballgame.

I am going write a series of posts on soil types, basic characteristics and some amendment options. Of course, it is ALWAYS best to have your soil tested through a place such as your county extension office for specific analysis and amendment recommendations. Soil can be altered a lot if you've had any work done on your property, you have a newly constructed home etc.

What's Bloomin'...

With all of the crazy weather we've been having lately, 30 degrees one day, 60+ the next, how can I help but not be confused from day to day what season it is. Here in North Texas, we are on the bottom edge of most cold fronts that pass through our country, so the poor plants catch the brunt of of the craziness. Do I bloom or not? Well, it's time for some of the usual spring flowers..

Grape Hyacinth:

Dianthus:

Pink Hyacinth:

Does Anyone Speak Bull?

Living in the country, having horses and cattle for neighbors is quite pleasant. They're quiet most of the time, don't stay up late at night partying or even make huge unsightly messes. We do have to deal with an occasional "down-wind" smell, but it's tolerable, especially when I compare it to hogs. That is something that would definitely ruin an evening of outdoor entertaining with friends and family.

Most of the time the cattle just stare at us from across the fence while chewing their cud. The only real excitement we see from them is when the hay truck arrives and they go running as fast as they can toward the what truly drives them, food. Other than that it's quiet. That was until the bull came...


Mr. Bull is HUGE! With only barbed wire and cattle fencing between the back of our property and him, I'm really putting a lot of faith in its strength. Will it hold? Will it only discourage him? How close to the fence will he allow me to come near him now? Hmmm He's docile most of the time, thankfully. I've seen his owner go in and out (in some sort of truck or tractor) keeping safe, but I still have reservations about him.

You see, Mr. Bull at times paces and makes almost a crying sound. He goes on jags of this for hours and hours at a time. For me, who doesn't speak bull, senses stress of some sort. --or maybe that's my own stress that I'm sensing! Anyway, he's a good neighbor except when I see this.


Now, in steps the cattle neighbors from across the road in front of our house... With one of the recent rounds of the bull's cries, the cattle across the road started gathering at the edge of the fence and responding to Mr. Bull. They were facing each other and began this long distance conversation I'm sure I will never understand. They could've just been neighborly things like, "How's the grass over there?" or "Did you see that coyote that ran through here last night?" or it could something more serious like a plan for a breakout or something. Like I said, I don't speak bull. Do you?