A Third Grade Day

This week the camera came to third grade where it caught each of the four third grade groups working on their task of the day.

The Earth Group emptied the kitchen scraps from the classroom into kitchen scrap compost pile and then rinsed the bucket.

We collect our kitchen scraps in one area for five weeks and then spread them in one big layer onto our big compost pile which also gets layers of horse manure, chicken bedding, hay and weeds.

When they were done with the kitchen scraps, Earth group sprinkled the Barrel Compost preparation that 7th grade had stirred for them earlier that day.

The Fire Group worked hard, clearing the weeds out of a new bed to get it ready for planting.

The Water Group harvested.  Here you can see them picking swiss chard.

The Air Group helped set up an experiment in weed control.  Instead of digging up the weeds, we decided to cover the whole bed, weeds and all, with paper and then plant seeds through the paper.  Here's hoping it works!

Earlier in the week, Jim Mueller came by the farm and helped to cut the split ends off of the siding for our shed.  We hope to have it finished before school gets out.

Around the garden...

The rye cover crop is growing beautifully.  Rye has long roots that help to break up clumps of clay deep down and provides organic matter for the garden.  We cut it and turn it under before it goes to seed, then wait three weeks and, voila! we have a lovely bed full of rich humusy earth.

Last year's third grade made these beautiful stepping stones which were completely hidden by weeds in the flower beds this spring.  We had a couple of very mucky spots along well worn travel ways so the stones got moved to keep our feet from getting too wet.  They do a great job and they are beautiful.  Thank you Mrs. Comaniciu's class!