This year’s growing season started by adding two additional beds to the garden and showing kids how to start a raised bed form scratch. They laid plastic, poked holes for drainage, and added layers of organic potting soil and compost for proper growth. Some of the compost added came from our own compost bin which…
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Biologist and Natural Science educator Monica Franchy visits St. John’s and offers a one-day digital and culinary class. Ms. Franchy showed videos about how almonds grow from the perspective of a bee, the origins and nutritional benefits of the almonds. Taught the kids how to make almond milk from scratch and prepare a blueberry smoothie.…
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The summer camp students designed a series of collages and drawings of what they saw and experienced in the garden, they used traditional and digital media to create their pieces. The following are some the kid’s observations: “Today I am so excited because we actually got to make a quinoa salad. First, we were taught…
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We ended the Spring Session with the afterschool students releasing Monarch butterflies and celebrating an early harvest. The students prepared a salad with strawberries, cucumbers, tomatoes, chives, Swiss chard, three types of basil, Italian oregano, spearmint, and chocolate mint. The children were introduced to shiitake mushrooms; which they had not eaten before. Here some of…
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The kids have been working in the garden almost every afternoon. They have learned how to plant, how to use the tools properly, how to measure and distribute the plant area correctly, so when plants grow are not so close to each other. They really like to use the weed grabbers and have been cleaning…
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During the last five weeks, the kids have been planting and seeing their seeds grow. We are growing carrots, beets, two different kinds of lettuces, cucumbers, Habanero peppers —these are part a seed exchange program with the Global Partner Junior group in Mexico City, Bok choy, onions, eggplants, chives, strawberries, chocolate mint, parsley, lemon thyme,…
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This week the students began planting using small seed trays and covering the cells with potting mix making sure to fill them to the top. Then made 1/4 inch deep dimple in each cell and placed two to three seeds into each cell. By using this method if all seeds in one cell start to…
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We started our growing season this April First with the help of the New York Restoration Project. The NYRP focuses on building and restoring vacant lots, public parks, schools, sidewalks, and waterfronts in communities of need. The St. John’s Recreation Center had NYRP designing and building our new garden: Planters, trellises, and a compost bin.…
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Collard green, broccoli, beets, and tomatoes were some of the vegetables that the children have been using to prepare salads throughout this fall. As part of the Garden Kitchen Lab program, the kids also covered plant beds with oats and lentil seeds to protect the soil from extreme temperatures. Earth is the foundation of a…
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Urban farming in Crown Heights
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GARDEN KITCHEN LAB 