We spent an entire school year planning our school gardens before we ever visited nurseries to purchase plants or started fundraising to support the project. We created a steering committee, wrote vision and mission statements, and tried to figure out ways we could incorporate our gardens into academics. We also wanted something that would reduce […]
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Summer school is wrapping up, but there’s no shortage of news and vacation ideas coming through the e-mail. Here’s a sampling. Great Falls, Montana Tourism sent news of a couple interesting events. On Aug. 3, women who want to learn how to rodeo can participate in Cowgirl U, a workshop held during the Big Sky […]
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One of my all-time favorite make-n-takes from a California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom conference has to be the chicken clucker, and I found mine stored away in a bin in the garage recently. I don’t even remember the date of that long-ago conference or the location, but I saved my chicken. I’ve shared […]
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(Featured image from Raley’s) Jack o’lanterns might seem a world away from your summer barbecues, but pumpkin-planting season starts now. The stores will, of course, become full of pumpkins come Halloween, but people who want to grow their own need to get those seeds in the ground. Planting season is June 15 through July 4. […]
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I’m cleaning out my e-mail box when I really should be cleaning out my garage. Here are a few things I’ve saved that are related to outdoor education in some way. The University Press of Kansas wrote to say University of Pennsylvania’s Matthew D. Roth has a new book out called “Magic Bean, The Rise […]
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Shortly before the California primaries, I found a Facebook thread where women were pondering what to do with the stacks of campaign mailers they had collected from the various races. One thought she might be able to use the heavy cardstock in her crafts. Another suggested origami. Origami? With that heavy paper? Perhaps she was […]
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About a week ago I turned the keys to the school garden into the front office staff so a couple of our more ardent school gardeners could come in over the summer and continue their work. While I’m on vacation from school gardening, I still can’t resist a good workshop on drip irrigation and native […]
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Six miles of trails through riparian forests and seasonal wetlands wind through land owned by the Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District off Interstate 5 between Elk Grove and Sacramento. The interstate is so close, hikers can see trucks whip past on the freeway when valley oaks don’t block out urban life. The trails are usually […]
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With a new year comes new opportunities. Here are some that have shown up in my mail: The Nutrients for Life Foundation has updated its online curriculum to make searching easier. Download the new curriculum now. Nutrients for Life is offering a free professional development day on soil science and sustainability in Des Moines, Iowa […]
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This colorful game may be a bit tougher than it seems. The goal is to stack the plastic cups into a pyramid without ever touching the cups. Students working in partners use “tools” – rubber bands with ribbons tied to them – instead of their hands. Pulling on the ribbons, partners work collaboratively to stretch […]
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