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Guest Post: A Call to Action for School Garden Educators and Supporters Alike

By Louann Talbert “Can we go out to the garden more often?” my students would say to me, back when I was still teaching. How I loved to hear that question! One of my greatest joys was when I figured out how to connect my love of nature and gardening to what I students needed to learn. I have many pictures of them out in the sunshine, planting, harvesting, weighing, exploring, discussing, asking…

A Somber Summer Solstice

Summer solstice is typically one of my favorite days of the year. Much like plants, I run on light. Nothing motivates me more than a long, sunny day! As the official kickoff of summer, we enjoyed a 14-hour-and-50-minute-day length in Northern California on June 20th. That’s a lot of time to photosynthesize the sun’s energy! This year, however, the summer solstice took on a more somber tone as I…

Extolling the Virtues of a Snail

Today is National Escargot Day! Of course, there are other days devoted to snail recognition. November 7th, for example, is International Land Snail Day according to the California Fish and Wildlife Department. However, I’ve selected May 24th to write about my love affair with snails for two reasons. I met my very first snail swimming in garlic butter. I was 17 at the time, on a date at a fancy…

Plant(ing) Empowerment in Women

For a time, I was “wintering” through the month-long stay-at-home order and rainy weather just fine. But when the sun came out again, I took advantage of the opportunity to socialize outside with a close friend. We visited the Ruth Bancroft Garden & Nursery for a self-guided tour of an impressive display of drought-tolerant plants. If you’ve not been, it’s well worth the trek! Touring Ruth…

Turning Over a New Leaf

As the calendar flipped to 2021, it prompted many to rethink the annual habit of making resolutions. On the heels of an unprecedented year, the superficial promises to improve or better ourselves seem much less appropriate this year. Yet, transitioning to a new year does motivate us to rethink our practices. As I approach the two-year mark of launching a nonprofit (The School Garden Doctor was…

Becoming a Curious Birder

As kids went back to school via screen last August, the originators of “Screen Time into Green Time” got in the game. Dedicated to enhancing parks, programs, and play, American Canyon Community and Parks Foundation (ACCPF) released Curiosity Kidsin September. Hosted on their website and YouTube channel, this video series features short tutorials on how to enjoy the outdoors and get a “daily dose”…

“Monsters Don’t Eat Broccoli!” and Other Halloween Reads

Halloween is just around the corner and parents, teachers, and community-based programs are looking for safe, fun, non-treat ways to acknowledge the upcoming holiday. On the heels of Food Literacy Month in California (September) and National Farm-to-School Month (October), I can’t help but think of three books that will delight your home or school gardeners. Read on for creative planting ideas to…

Cooking Up {virtual} Food Education is just one way to celebrate Food Literacy Month this year!

This year, it seems like September came even more quickly than it normally does. My hunch is that the back-to-school season snuck up on us while our attention was elsewhere. Many are distracted by the early start to wildfire season throughout much of California. And perhaps we’re all just a little fatigued by the way our lives continue to be impacted by COVID-19.

Another possibility is that…

The Ambiguous Loss of Outdoor Education

The midpoint of July marks the second half of summer. Understandably, returning to school for the 2020-21 academic year is on the forefront of every teacher’s, parent’s, and student’s mind. Unfortunately, given the uptick in Covid-19 cases in many places, including Napa County, school will resume in continued distance learning mode.

County public health officials and school district…

On this Juneteenth Day, I invite you to reflect on how growing a garden can be a metaphor for hope.

In their book Learning Gardens and Sustainability Education, authors Williams and Brown (2012) uplift the power of metaphorical thinking. Using a metaphor of living soil, they reimagine how education might look with school gardens as fundamental part of its vision. I prepared this post to offer growing a garden as a metaphor for hope in these very trying times.

Growing a garden is hard work. I…

Especially Now, Weed Mindfully

Just as spring sprinkled into full swing, the nation was brought to its knees as shelter-in-place orders went into effect near and far. With school closures came deserted school gardens left to nature’s whims. We could all use a little more fresh air right about now and I’m no stranger to pulling weeds as an antidote to stress, but I urge everyone to consider weeding mindfully especially now.

Celebrate Earth Day 2020 with this unique collection of activities, challenges, giveaways, and more!

Earth Day 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of a global celebration with a rich history. The annual in-person gatherings and events all have been cancelled due to the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic. Never fear! You can still celebrate virtually with over 50 opportunities offered by Napa supporters and sponsors!

Earth Day Napa: Gone Virtual,is a collaborative effort to engage the local community in…

After a stretch of work travel and intense business, I’m home in bed to prevent the worsening of an oncoming cold. To prepare for hunkering down, I grabbed two types of chicken noodle soup from the store last night. Even when selecting higher-priced (read: higher quality?) options, I am left with the same conclusion I always have: homemade soup is best.

When I lived in Wisconsin, I would…

Kinders Count…Bees!

As I begin to write this post, I am filled again with the excitement I felt while attending the School Gardeners’ Southwest Desert Almanac conference in Arizona last week. A small but mighty group convened for 2.5 days at the Desert Botanical Garden and Manzo Elementary School in Tucson to share ideas and inspiration as part of the first National Science Foundation-funded effort of this kind.

Years ago, when I was just learning to garden in the Mediterranean climate of the Napa Valley, I was vexed by the Algerian ivy planted in a strip between my neighbor’s and my driveway. Before I undertook the hard work of removing such an invasive and tenacious vine, I had to figure out what to plant in its place. I decided on bulbs and now I have a path of smiling “paperwhites” (see Paperwhite…

When DIY Crafting Meets Engineering Design

My least favorite non-recyclable plastic is the single-use plastic baggie. They’re cheap and easy to use, making them a lunchbox staple. But, they’re not as easy to reuse and not at all recyclable. Over the last few years, products like Bee’s Wraphave entered the market as a sustainable alternative to the plastic baggie. While useful, priced at about $20 for a three-pack, these products are not…

A Rave Review of “the School Garden Curriculum” by Kaci Rae Christopher

I recently picked up a copy of the School Garden Curriculum: An Integrated K-8 Guide for Discovering Science, Ecology, and Whole-Systems Thinking by Kaci Rae Christopher.

It was love at first sight.

Not only does this book offer a comprehensive approach to engaging all elementary/middle grade levels in meaningful garden tasks, but it also organizes the lessons seasonally so that you don’t…