woollyschoolgarden.org http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog Thu, 23 May 2013 23:42:18 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 Plant Markers! http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/plant-markers/ http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/plant-markers/#comments Thu, 23 May 2013 23:42:18 +0000 Woolly Pocket http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/?p=4098 In the garden, there is nothing more confusing than trying to remember what was planted where. Plant markers are the perfect way to identify your seedlings. While store-bought markers are fine, making your own plant markers is economical and easy — and a great project for students! Reminder: Use permanent markers on non-porous and semi-porous materials such as stone and plastic, otherwise the ink will wash away.

Popsicle sticks: Write the plant name on the popsicle stick and then place next to the appropriate plant.

Clothespins: Write on the flat side of the clothespin and then pinch onto your Pocket.

Used plastic forks/knives: Write the plant name on the handle!

Yogurt and Cottage Cheese containers: Cut strips out of a plastic container with scissors from the top lip down to the bottom in a straight line. Make your cuts between ½”–1″ apart. Then cut the strips off the bottom.

 

 

]]> http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/plant-markers/feed/ 0 No space? Can’t dig? Plant vertically! http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/no-space-can%e2%80%99t-dig-plant-vertically/ http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/no-space-can%e2%80%99t-dig-plant-vertically/#comments Wed, 15 May 2013 23:24:00 +0000 Woolly Pocket http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/?p=4091

Our vertical edible gardens don’t require you to give up any space. No digging required!

 

]]> http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/no-space-can%e2%80%99t-dig-plant-vertically/feed/ 0 For the birds! http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/for-the-birds/ http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/for-the-birds/#comments Wed, 08 May 2013 22:52:34 +0000 Woolly Pocket http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/?p=4080 Prestwood School in Sonoma, Ca has some interesting guests in their Woolly School Garden. Right next to the parsley, a home was made for a family of birds. Pockets provide more than just fun, learning and getting dirty! They can also provide a home for some! Prestwood is one of our busiest Woolly School Garden participants. To learn more about this school and to see lots of pictures click here!

 

 

]]> http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/for-the-birds/feed/ 0 Belmont Academy Charter School http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/belmont-academy-charter-school/ http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/belmont-academy-charter-school/#comments Wed, 01 May 2013 23:15:45 +0000 Woolly Pocket http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/?p=4074

Belmont Academy Charter School is located in West Philadelphia. We are a neighborhood charter school providing Head Start PreSchool and Kindergarten to the young children in the Belmont neighborhood. Unlike many inner-city schools, we are incredibly lucky to have a nascent fruit tree orchard and a large grassy backyard with ample space to run around. We have a few garden beds, but would like to increase the clean and accessible gardening opportunities for each class without decreasing the children’s play space. Thus, we are very excited to start vertical class gardens on our wooden fence. We’re excited to cultivate a love of gardening and the great outdoors in all of our students.

]]> http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/belmont-academy-charter-school/feed/ 0 What Grows Where! http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/what-grows-where/ http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/what-grows-where/#comments Tue, 16 Apr 2013 21:33:37 +0000 Woolly Pocket http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/?p=4069

Your Woolly School Garden comes with 20 packs of hardiness sees that have been chosen for you specifically based on your “zone”. We know many of you will want to experiment and supplement over time, so here are some jumping off points for your garden adventures.

]]> http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/what-grows-where/feed/ 0 No Room? Grow UP! http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/no-room-grow-up/ http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/no-room-grow-up/#comments Tue, 09 Apr 2013 23:34:42 +0000 Woolly Pocket http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/?p=4052

The Woolly School Garden Program provides an easy and immediate solution for schools nationwide to create an outdoor garden classroom. WSG uses any sunny wall or fence to create a vertical, edible garden cost-effectively, and the user-friendly curriculum allows teachers to easily teach their students how to grow their own food and make healthy food choices.

]]> http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/no-room-grow-up/feed/ 0 Are Woolly School Gardens Available Internationally??? http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/are-woolly-school-gardens-available-internationally/ http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/are-woolly-school-gardens-available-internationally/#comments Thu, 04 Apr 2013 23:26:15 +0000 Woolly Pocket http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/?p=4048

We get numerous requests about our Woolly School Garden Program being available in countries other than the United States, and the answer is YES! For more information email us at schools@woollypocket.com!

]]> http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/are-woolly-school-gardens-available-internationally/feed/ 0 The best way to spend $5 (or more)! http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/the-best-way-to-spend-5-or-more/ http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/the-best-way-to-spend-5-or-more/#comments Tue, 26 Mar 2013 22:50:02 +0000 Woolly Pocket http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/?p=4041 Learning truly comes alive in a school garden. From math to science, reading to nutrition, almost any topic can be taught in a garden! With the garden as their classroom, lessons come to life as seeds sprout, worms decompose, plant growth is documented, and fresh veggies are harvested!

By clicking on Help above, you can help one or many schools who are raising funds for their very own chance for a garden in their classroom. Let’s make this spring their time to not only start growing up, but to learn as well!

]]> http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/the-best-way-to-spend-5-or-more/feed/ 0 “My mom would eat vegetables that smell like that!” http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/my-mom-would-eat-vegetables-that-smell-like-that/ http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/my-mom-would-eat-vegetables-that-smell-like-that/#comments Tue, 19 Mar 2013 18:08:24 +0000 Woolly Pocket http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/?p=4033 Update: Ralph E. Hawes Elementary in Huntington Beach, CA.  We posted a small entry on this school on Feb, 13th of this year, click here to see it. We have some updated photos on this school, as well as an interesting story! This school had a few “bumps in the road” during the process of getting their Woolly School Garden created, and we wanted to share this one little “bump” with you.

 As stated from the garden rep, “The garden is in an atrium/quad area it gets a great deal of sun, but not a lot of wind.  After the fourth grade students placed the organic soil into the pockets (they were studying an ecosystem unit) we started to notice there was a very pungent smell emanating from the pockets. Since the garden is in the lunch area, many of the students and some of the adults were curious (ie: some students would hold their noses as they walked past saying, ” what is that smell?”) about the fragrance.  It turns out after consulting with the soil company that this is normal due to the fact that some of the bags of soil sit at the stores for an extended period of time, and the odor did dissipate after a few days due to the microbes beginning to break down.  In fact after about two weeks the smell had vanished, but it did invite a lot of discussion about how plants grow and even prompted one parent, Sharilyn Thomas, to write a song (copyrighted) that she shared with the entire student body. One of the students was heard saying while walking by the garden, ”My mom would eat vegetables that smell like that!”.”
Sharilyn Thomas’ song Vermont Perfume can be heard here: Vermont Perfume copyrights 2013 
Ralph E Hawes strawberry planting Ralph E Hawesplanting

 

]]> http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/my-mom-would-eat-vegetables-that-smell-like-that/feed/ 0 Get Social to Get Funded!!! http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/get-social-to-get-funded/ http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/get-social-to-get-funded/#comments Tue, 12 Mar 2013 23:39:17 +0000 Woolly Pocket http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/?p=4026 Recently we had a school raise all their funds ($1100.00) in almost less than one week! It was woolly great watching these donations come in one by one. Some were for only $5, others for $100, and a lot were right between $10-$25. We reached out to the school to ask them how they managed to get the funding so quickly. They were eager to share their secret with other schools and teachers, so they too, could have their very own Woolly School Garden. Here is what Naama Goldstein from Mission Hills School  had to say:

“ I reached out through our online school forum, as well as Facebook pages, including pages representing the school community and my own personal page. I also sent out group emails to family and friends, both from the school and outside it. I asked that school friends do the same. I have experience with online community organizing, and find that it is absolutely necessary to send thoughtfully written, emotionally engaging messages that are both as short and as informative as possible — and to send multiple times (though never the very same message.) Folks are inundated with information and online tasks, so it often takes several tries as well as a buildup of reports to gain and hold your recipient’s attention at just the point when they can and will offer support.”

We would like to send out a BIG WOOLLY THANKS to all the generous donations that have been received for any and all of our schools enrolled. Building a school garden can only bring good and sunny things to your community’s children. Pick a school today and see how far your $5 will go!

 

 

]]> http://woollyschoolgarden.org/blog/get-social-to-get-funded/feed/ 0