The beginning of February marks the halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. The days are beginning to lengthen, and soon we will start to see the first harbingers of spring. Some people consider this time of year to be the very beginning of the growing season.
Things are starting to ramp up in the gardens at Woodson Branch. Josh Copus kicked it off by constructing his awesome Community Brick Monument on the knoll, in the middle of the garden area. If you haven't walked out there yet, I recommend taking a few minutes to check it out. It is really fun to see all the different bricks our friends and neighbors made. Soon our high tunnel greenhouse kit will arrive (Feb 16 to be exact), and we will be putting that up just above the lovely chimney sculpture. If you would like to get involved with any stage of this project, please call me. It should be a blast. (Dana 206-1766)
Also, soon we will be assigning students to their own garden plots. They will choose from a great variety of short season spring crop seeds and be allowed to grow what they want in their own way in their plots. This is a great opportunity for them to put into action the theories of soil, ecosystems and botany and use their knowledge to grow food! If any parents would like to volunteer for one or multiple Wednesdays this spring, it would be helpful to have extra sets of hands while the students are working their own plots.
Edgar and I put up signs at the backs of the student plots today. The signs were made of salvaged slab wood from Carl Rice's portable sawmill, and my generous neighbor JD Holland helped me cut and load the pieces. Then Edgar, Paul and I attached them all. It was a fun community effort. Each sign is different, like each of our students. Students will have the opportunity to express their individuality through the way they design and care for their plots as well as how they decorate their signs. I am looking forward to witnessing the process.
