Party in the Garden, CSA, and picnic-potlucks

McKinley's Farm to School initiative does 2 community dinners a year, both supported by generous donations from Bon Apetit. We have the 100-mile Fall meal and the Spring Garden Party. Here are some pictures from the party in June.

Here are a few of our dedicated garden committee volunteers. Did you know that our Farm to School program is completely volunteer-run? We have a pretty amazing and talented school community! This is a school-wide program and we want to invite and include anyone that is interested, so come to the next potluck and get involved. (more info below)

Speaking of volunteers, look at these awesome McKinley graduates that always come back and help out. Not to mention the teachers! Here is Mrs. S working with some students to create crowns decorated with flowers and herbs. And ribbon!

A finished crown, delicate little lavender flowers.
Beautiful!

What are these kids looking for? Bugs?
Somebody lose their keys?
No!! They are releasing ladybugs!
In case you are wondering, the insect world can be divided (not exactly cleanly) into beneficial insects and pests. Beneficial insects do good things for the garden and our plants. Pests eat our plants and can wreak havoc on a lovely garden. Ladybugs (beneficial insects) love to eat aphids (pests!), which love to eat juicy green leaves. More ladybugs, less aphids, more of our garden crops for us to eat. Here, students got a handful of ladybugs to release into the garden.
I think it was the high light of the night!

McKinley CSA
You know, maybe it's time this garden started paying for itself, pulling it's own weight a bit. This June at the Garden Party we raffled off a "CSA box" from the McKinley garden. Last summer we donated quite a bit of our produce. This year we thought, why not have McKinley families enjoy it, since it's McKinley students that are planting and starting the garden. Since the garden is small, the raffle winner will be receiving 3 boxes of plenty from our school garden. (We hope it's plenty.)
This is the first box for our lucky winners.
They received:
romaine lettuce
red leaf lettuce
radishes
peas
artichokes
parsley, oregano & rosemary

Wouldn't you love to get a box of yummy garden goods like this? Well pay attention because you may have the opportunity to  buy some of the garden's bounty in the next month. There will be more lettuce, peas, radishes and tiny carrots (maybe).
Later in the summer we will have green beans, tomatoes (there are several heirloom varieties!), potatoes, herbs, herbs, herbs, squash and...you will just have to see what grows!

Don't forget!!
Next garden picnic-potluck is July 25th, 5:30-7:30ish
Come and reconnect with school friends and families for a casual, easy dinner in the grass.
Bring a dish to share, blanket, frisbee, guitar...