My new Hands-On History class has been a really amazing experience so far. It was supposed to be mostly about archaeology with as much outdoor learning as we could get in the 90 degree heat of Louisiana fall. But the class has not been entirely what I exactly expected it to be...in a good way...? We have been keeping a garden - 8 mini-gardens to be exact. Gardening was supposed to be a side venture to keep us occupied when I got too busy to research atlatls or basket weaving, but it's turned into a nearly full-time activity. And here's the best part...the students absolutely LOVE it.
Our small school garden began a couple of years ago when my Roman Technology students decided that they wanted to try gardening the ancient Roman way. We did a lesson on Roman herbs and seasonings and then grew some to flavor the cheese we also made. It was a fun little activity, but the two small garden beds I had were not enough for all of my students to engage with. Enter my father, an amateur carpenter with a generous spirit, who made wooden grow beds that are raised to waist height for easy tending. He crafted 8 more beds to be used by my Hands-On History class this year.
At the beginning of the year, the students divided themselves into two-person teams that would each tend to one side of one garden bed. After a bit of research, they decided what to plant, how to plant it, how to care for it, and how and when to harvest the crops. The #1 choice of crop was cucumbers. Because the weather in Louisiana is so hot still into October, the students also decided to grow lettuce.
Every day of our class (every other day on our A/B day schedule), we start by eating lunch outside under the shady oak trees of our campus. At the end of lunch and recess time, we collect composting materials from the students' lunches. From the picnic area, we walk slowly back to my classroom, passing by our garden beds. There, we dump compost into our large compost tumblers, check on the frog that lives near them, and then water and tend our gardens. I bought simple plastic watering cans so they could also take care of watering their beds. On every visit to our garden, they scurry around filling their watering cans and looking through their gardens. Imagine the thrilling "OHs" and "OMGs" I hear when students discover a slug or leaf-footed bugs or the bees attracted to the wildflowers we planted nearby. It's so delightful to hear delight being expressed so excitedly.
Near pandemonium broke out when the cucumbers started appearing. And OMG, did these seeds make some cucumbers! They must have been Superman or Wonder Woman seeds. Not long after cucumbers and lettuce started appearing - seemingly by the day, the class discussion turned to the question of what we would do with the harvest. One student suggested that we make pickles, and nearly the whole class erupted in excited agreement. We live in a pickle-obsessed world right now so I wasn't too surprised. At first, I was a little worried because I have watched my mother, the cucumber contessa, make giant batches of pickles every year of my life, and I knew that true shelf pickles are a HUGE project that I wasn't sure I could conquer with a class of 30 students. But then I remembered what I learned from TikTok: anyone can make fridge pickles with vinegar and sugar in 15 minutes! So I bought some mason jars, taught the kids to safely cut up our cucumbers, and we have been enjoying our pickles at lunches.
Since the garden has become nearly all-consuming (and I know very little other than the basics), I've asked for some help. My principal has been wonderful enough to send me to the LSU Ag Center's Seeds to Success fall conference where I learned all kind of helpful information about school gardening initiatives. But I've also found some kindred spirits in my colleagues. One of Glasgow's new teachers, Mr. Troy Chapman, teaches ag business so they have begun joining my class for some gardening activities. He and I really like working on projects together! Another of my colleagues has extensive experience with school gardening from his previous position. Mr. Kory Holmes taught ag science at Istrouma High School until it closed last year, and he misses his school gardens. Now teaching math at Glasgow, he has guest taught classes on soil testing for my students. I appreciate both of these gentlemen so much for their help and advice!
Next up, onions. Or that's what we think we'll be growing for our winter crop. After that, it will be potatoes and then strawberries, or at least, that's what I've been told by the students. In a world where students spend the majority of their school day and everyday lives indoors in the USA, I'm so glad to be able to offer students an outdoor learning experience that connects them with nature and healthy food.
