Dear Oak Grove Community,
As winter whispers in, we’re reflecting on a vibrant season in our school garden—a space that’s blooming with creativity, learning, and connection to the earth. Our young gardeners have poured their hearts into hands-on projects, fostering wonder and stewardship.
First graders painted magical boxes to hold garden treasures like homemade Calendula lip balm, leaf collections, fire cider, lemon balm tea, and recipes. They propagated succulents, whipped up a Rainbow potion (our twist on fire cider with school-grown pomegranates), moved compost for spring, completed two raised beds, planted onions, and tackled weeding with gusto.
Second graders harvested persimmons and tended tree journals in the food forest, noting growth and seasonal shifts. They created walnut ink paintings and built their garden from the ground up, layering wire, cardboard, logs, leaves, compost, and soil—a beautiful lesson in hugelkultur.
Third graders transformed the hillside garden near the food forest, planting over 100 vibrant plants including tri-colored sages, purple sage, oregano, calendula, and snapdragons. They rehabbed soil with straw, mulch, and compost, harvested herbs for burn bundles, mulched paths, and gathered zinnias and tomatoes.
Eighth graders lent their energy too: packaging cozy teas for our fundraiser, moving soil for younger grades’ beds, crafting lip balm, blending and packing teas, cutting grapefruit for dehydration, trimming Mercedes the blackberry bush, and turning harvests into heartfelt creations.
Across all grades, we begin each class with breathing exercises and grounding, nurturing calm alongside curiosity. Other highlights included saffron and tomato harvests (shared at lunch and tea events), incense making, mini books on campus herbs, and geranium propagation.
Looking to 2026, we’re planning a temporary enclosure in the main garden, researching animal-resistant plants like thyme, sages, mint, and geraniums, and expanding garden-to-table lessons where students cook their own harvests. Watch for mulching dates and volunteer opportunities—we’d love your hands in the soil!
Happy wintering, dear community. May this season bring mellow, cozy chills as we all go dormant, resting and dreaming of spring’s return.
With gratitude,
The Oak Grove Garden Team
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Ollie2025-11-20 10:49:532025-11-20 15:14:51Annual Fundraising Tea
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Ollie2025-11-19 17:08:512025-11-20 10:21:34The Art of Living & Learning
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Ollie2025-11-17 14:01:012025-11-20 14:19:11Gratitude is Humbling
