In March, after months of watching the school garden grow and pulling its weeds, the first graders at Carl H Sundahl Elementary in Folsom got to enjoy the fruits (or should I say vegetables) of their labor. Each first grade student pulled a vegetable from the school garden, and once washed and ready to serve, each piece completed the final masterpiece, a Friendship Salad. The colorful Friendship Salad was shared with both first grade classrooms.

They began this journey in the fall, planting a cornucopia of produce: celery, peas, rainbow chard, rainbow carrots, radishes, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and three varieties of lettuce and onions. Though some of their crop was lost to frost or not quite ready, they pulled from their bounty and even wanted seconds of salad! Kids even asked if they could take some home to share with parents.

Behind these activities is a standout volunteer. Monica Easton, parent of one of those first graders, strives to overcome the barriers that prevent school gardens from thriving. Built 10 years ago with a grant, the school garden has been abandoned for the last 5 years. Though it needs work, Monica has led activities around the garden. To top it off, she also agreed to teach her child’s first grade class about nutrition in conjunction with the garden, using Dairy Council’s Healthy Choices, Healthy Me! curriculum.

In April, they plan an End of Harvest Salad activity for all students who want to join after school. The summer garden will be growing and by next fall, students will experiment with fresh salsa! As mentioned in our earlier post, gardens are a great way to build skills that support classroom learning and beyond! We congratulate Monica, and others like her, for your efforts to bring nutrition into the school day.

For more on the connection between Gardens and learning, visit California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom.

Tracy Witmer, R.D.

Territory Manager