on the wings of a dream...

Our new garden friend.

Contra Costa Leaders in Sustainability Honored

from left: Susan, Jot, Robin, Ellen and Jerry

to read more, go here:

http://sustainablecoco.ning.com/forum/topics/contra-costa-leaders-in-sustainability-honored

Leadership in Sustainability Award

Last Friday evening, Ellen, Reuel, Jot, Jerry, Katie, Carol, Robin and Susan were present as the Meher Schools was awarded "Leadership in Sustainability - Best School" by Sustainable Contra Costa. Ellen's lovely acceptance speech follows:

Involvement is connection, contribution, association, taking part, interest, commitment, enthusiasm, inspiration.

At the Meher Schools, we’ve discovered that nearly everything we do that is worth doing comes from the energy of love. 

No one has exclusive ownership of Ideas. We discover when we become aware of an idea and begin to speak of our excitement and enthusiasm about that “idea,” that it is actually a vision shared by others, and that vision can take form only by real collaboration. Each of us holds a piece of the vision. 

We know that nothing can be forced. If the timing is right, then everything lines up to support the manifestation of the vision.  If the timing is right, and if the urge comes from the heart, the energy is there to accomplish the impossible. The work builds on itself, and provides the nutrition for growth and sustainability. .

Our Seven Circles Garden is such an idea, and is also its own perfect living metaphor. The timing was right, and indeed, everything lined up to make this wonderful platform for learning and growth possible. Hard work, collaboration, enthusiasm,  no one taking ownership, “being there and being involved,” with invitation but not obligation, Joining others as they catch fire.  To me, that is how we inspire others to become involved. 

People want to be part of something meaningful and bigger than themselves, and to feel that their efforts, no matter how large or small, contribute to the success of a project. We honor and appreciate all efforts. The work itself is the reward, as is the experience of connecting with others who have tapped into the same current.  Just look around.  We are all grateful for the opportunity, and wish that every school could have this experience.  And if an “award” follows, then it is one that is shared by every person who participates. 

The children are back in school! And we continue to enjoy the harvest of our summer garden. We are letting the beans go to seed, so that we might store and plant them next year.
We began our new garden curriculum this week with fourth and fifth grade....including "garden math," "journaling" and much more in addition to growing, harvesting and composting.
We also learned that we are finalists in the Sustainable Contra Costa Leadership Awards and will be going to their annual gala to find out what that means!! It's so nice to be included in these community events and share our "bounty" with others...."bounty" in terms of energy, commitment, and joy in being together in the garden.
We are also hosting a composting workshop on October 19th for the CCSW organization, and Robin and Jerry will be the presenters. that's at 3:45.
And last BUT NOT LEAST.... A BIG WORK PARTY IS BEING PLANNED FOR SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 FROM 9:30 TO noon. the purpose is to prepare the circles for the winter crops. We anticipate receiving a truckload of manure from Todd and there will be lots of work for all. We plan on sending an invitation to the whole school. Hope you can be there.
Reuel continues to bake and sell zucchini bread in room 10.....sold before it's out of the oven! And soon we'll have another batch of Home Town Honey from Mike Stephanos! And, as we did last year, we plan on picking persimmons from the Roemer's orchard so that we can sell those as well.
We would like to continue making our produce available to the local homeless shelter. The children really enjoyed chopping vegetables for the big pot of soup that we delivered a few weeks ago.

Late summer afternoon

Susan, those photos are beautiful!! What a perfect week it's been in the garden. Reuel's zucchini bread is being consumed in record amounts. And when the squash is no longer producing, he'll start baking pumpkin bread. Should be delicious!

Sunday morning

A perfect sunny day...

LOTS of bean picking

Fertilizing the fruit trees with our own compost

Cora bringing the hose up the hill for her dad

The corn will be ready to harvest soon

and the pumpkins, too

End of July update

Here is an email that Ellen sent to garden folks last week:

The beauty of the garden is overwhelming!  So many birds, butterflies and bees all hovering around the lovely squash blossoms and other flowers!  lots of wildlife, including (unfortunately) the inevitable gophers. think "go away" thoughts.  We are trying many things to discourage their continued residency.  Fortunately, the resilience of our plants will win out.

We have had many new snack options for the children including zucchini bread, stuffed squash, squash pancakes, squash chips, and squash quesadillas.  We've also served cucumber, lettuce, and carrots! Reuel has been baking and selling fabulous zucchini bread, which is sold by the time it gets out of the oven!  We have also been able to begin supplying the preschool snack program with fresh yellow squash.
Our pumpkins are impressive!!  Carol has the children search for them since they can be hidden beneath the enormous leaves.
The corn has silks...how beautiful it's been to watch it grow and develop. Our many, many beans are flowering and we are looking forward to that harvest.


And here are a few photos taken by Susan this morning:

beans, beans, beans

and pumpkins

Lets look at using flat stepping stones for our paths. Also let's add herbs somewhere .

harvesting continues...

Jordan shows off an onion.

Photo by Jerry

Reuel has been baking zucchini bread....excellent! using for aftercare snack and parents are buying loaves. Yesterday I brought a basket of plums just picked from our plum tree and I was delighted to see the children enthusiastically ask if they could have some! It's very satisfying to witness their changing nutritional choices.

Rose Palley interviews students about the garden last spring...

A new use for summer squash.

What can you do with so many squash? Play a word game, of course, until you decide on a recipe for cooking them.

Sunday update

Another warm morning.  The resurrected dome climbing structure is now a Kiwi Hut.  Two females and one male were planted this morning.  If you're interested in knowing more about how to grow kiwi, you might want to read this article.

In between the kiwi plants, some pole beans will hopefully fill in for the summer...

Circle one is looking quite vibrant with california poppies, marigolds and nasturtium blooms all color coordinated with the squash blossoms...

and speaking of squash - there's oodles ready for harvest...

Well it is 90 degrees, and I have watered all circles and trees, I tilled along the fence line, and watched our resident Hawk fly by. What a lovely place to be. Looking forward to the Kiwi plants and the plants that will grow on the fence. I spoke with Jot tonight and requested another truck load of horse manure so we can prepare the beds along the fence. All is well.
jerry

Today the kindergaarten kids and I modified the old geodesic dome by removing one of the pentagons on the side to make a door way. The kids then added straw to the floor of the dome. At that point there were kid in, on and around this structure hanging from the top and adding straw from the top of the dome. What summer day fun.
jerry

warmth finally arrives

photos by Susan


The warm weather brought lots of new growth last week...

baby tomatoes

squash and pumpkins

beans sprouting in Circle 3

 

and the beautiful new gate at sunset...

All circles planted!

Carol reports...

planted in Circle 1:
tomatoes, squash pumpkins, melons, carrots, potatoes, marigolds, sunflowers, echinacea, black eyed susan vine, cucumbers, corn, lettuce, borage, nasturtium, onions
Circle 2:
tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, carrots, peppers, corn, squash, pumpkins, watermelons, lettuce, borage, chard, poppies, marigolds, nasturtium, onions, chives
Circle 3:
bush beans (fresh cut), alfalfa, clover, tomatoes, squash, pumpkins, corn, marigolds, peas
Circle 4:
yellow bush beans, alfalfa, clover
Circle 5:
purple bush beans, alfalfa, corn
Circle 6:
bush beans (provider), alfalfa, clover
Circle 7:
bush beans (fresh cut), alfalfa, clover

Sunday morning - June 5, 2011

photos by Susan


new signs take place - designed by fifth graders with Reuel...

work on the fence continues...

another new compost pile...

and the unseasonable rain continues to nourish...

Turning the compost last week

images by Jerry

garden gate

from Ellen...
The garden entry gate was designed by the fifth grade, created by Raglan Tuttle (one of our dads) , and gifted by the parents of the fifth grade.  The photo shows the nearly completed design....missing are the words "Love Grows" which will appear at the top end of the gate.

stump removal

saying goodbye to the dying oak tree...
images by Jerry

fruit and flowers in early May

Some  shots taken by Reuel last week...