Another Edible Schoolyard...

There isn't much that makes me happier than seeing an "edible schoolyard". I'm not really sure why EVERY school doesn't have an edible garden. Kids need to know where their food comes from. They need to be familiar with all the different varieties and options available. They need to play in the dirt and sunshine while planting and nurturing tender plants. They need to know about "real" food.

Alice Waters was a pioneer in bringing about an amazing edible schoolyard in California. Through hard work and determination she was able to turn a weeded eyesore of a schoolyard into an amazing edible garden. I highly recommend her beautiful book...

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_19122.cfm

I was so excited when our Sprouts started going to a pre-school with innovative vision and an edible garden. The school constructed garden boxes for each classroom to have their own. They also have garden boxes that the school chef plants and grows for preparing the meals for the children. In addition, parents can rent a box for the season and call it their own. The school provides a huge assortment of gardening tools, water, fertilizer, compost and soil. This amazing little garden is a work in progress and new things are added frequently. They built a garden classroom that looks out into the growing garden and fun structures.  So lovely...

I couldn't wait to see the garden box our Sprouts claimed and help them get it planned out and planted! I was pretty excited to be included! I'm proud of my offspring and the fact they want to teach the Sprouts about clean food and feed them accordingly!

The entrance to the edible schoolyard.

Picnic tables for enjoying a meal outside. This year the school even donated a huge variety of plants to help get everyone started. Even the birds are enjoying the garden!

A new addition. A pole tipi that will soon be covered in climbing beans. Adorable!

This will soon be a maze of growing plants. Note the compost piles in the distance.

Getting started...we planted seeds a few weeks ago which are just starting to sprout. Lettuce, radishes, carrots and spinach. Now it's finally warm enough to add some little plants.

Making some plans...decision, decisions!

We turned this container garden into a square foot garden by simply adding the square foot grid. As you can see...the Sprouts LOVE working in the garden!

Parents can drop off and pick up their kids and spend a few minutes tending or watering their gardens everyday. It is so easy and convenient and will yield some pretty amazing meals!

I hope one day this becomes standard in all schools. We owe it to our kids...

Beekeeping 101...

I've been a slacker blogger the last several weeks! There has been a lot going on at the ole urban farmstead around here. When spring started springing lots of projects popped up.
The square foot garden is just incredible right now. The cold weather crops did really well. Almost every night for the last couple of weeks I have been able to take a bowl outside and gather a salad for dinner! There is nothing like freshly picked veggies right outside your door. I have a few lettuce varieties, radishes and spinach. I can't believe how quickly it replenishes after I gently tear of several leaves from each of the plants. My second plantings came up sooner than I expected and I have an abundance of deliciousness.
I am working hard on the new compost pile. I am committed to wetting and turning it every few days. I now separate our recycle garbage into a new container I can use in the compost pile. What we send to the landfill gets smaller and smaller all the time. The compost pile will be an exercise in patience and I hope it will be successful!
But...now about those bees!
Our lovely new tenants arrived 3 weeks ago. They showed up a week earlier than we anticipated, and with 2 days notice, we were hustling to make them welcome and get their new digs ready for their arrival. We had read and studied and watched numerous videos on beekeeping. We felt completely overwhelmed and under prepared! It seemed as if there are as many beekeeping theories as there are beekeepers!
We did have a beautiful hive ready to go. We had a custom stand built for the hive. We had found what we hoped was the perfect spot to locate the hive. We had the ingredients to make a starter syrup for the hive until it warmed up a bit and the trees started to bloom in earnest.
Months earlier we had hooked up with a guy that promised to help us install our package of bees. We had purchased most of our beekeeping supplies from him as well as our bees. He was a great help and came through on all of his commitments and promises. Still...I felt completely unprepared for the reality of becoming beekeepers!
Two days before they arrived I got a phone call from a complete stranger. He informed me he would be bringing our bee package early that Saturday morning and helping us install it into the hive. I asked if he knew where we lived...he said, "yes"...
Saturday morning rolled around and "sure enough" this stranger pulled into our drive-way right on schedule. The day was balmy and a bit overcast. We were excited and a bit nervous and not completely sure where to start. This stranger (Steve) quickly became our friend and mentor. We weren't real clear on how it came about that Steve delivered our bees. I guess the quick answer is that he is passionate about bees, part of the local bee community and for the greater good of the bee population he offered to help our bee vendor with some installations.
I feel that the universe wants us to care for bees to the best of our ability and sent this amazing beekeeper to teach and help us in this endeavor. It turns out that we were under prepared. Not with supplies and proper equipment, but under prepared with knowledge! Steve ended up staying with us for almost 4 hours and was a wealth of help and information. We are ever grateful!

This is what is considered a "package" of bees. Steve gently sprayed them with a mixture of sugar and water to keep them calm and hydrated after their long truck ride. He came completely prepared with everything necessary to install a new hive.

Before installing the bees we wanted to make sure the spot we picked was appropriate. Steve gave his approval. This spot is next to our large natural pond (water source), faces southeast and has some shelter and shade from a tree.

This day we installed the bees had almost a surreal quality. The bees really have an interesting vibration and seem so in tune with the Earth. I have to admit that their arrival had an almost spiritual component. A serenity and calm that was unexpected.

This is our un-assembled hive.

A pollen patty. We gave a portion of this to the bees to help them get off to a good start. We will give them some again in the fall.

Steve kept telling us we really needed to start beekeeping with 2 hives! We weren't so sure about that. We also didn't know if it would even be possible to get another package of bees as they are all sold on a pre-ordered pre-paid basis. We decided to "think" about it!

Again...I can't say enough about how grateful we are that Steve showed up in our drive-way that Saturday morning. He continues to mentor us and share his vast beekeeping expertise.

Making the sugar syrup with pure organic cane sugar crystals and spring water. A ratio of 1 to 1.

We would need to let the bees settle in and check on them in a few days to make sure the "queen" got out of her little queen cage. She is secured inside by a marshmallow! The bees snack on the marshmallow while they get used to their new queen. When they have eaten it all they should all be friendly with each other!

The new beekeeper (Hubs) on his maiden beekeeping voyage! Going to make sure the queen is out and everyone is happy! There is a certain ceremonial quality to it all. The quiet, the calm, the costume, the fragrant smoke...bees are definitely sacred. We need to care for them...

Gently smoking the hive to calm the bees. Everything seemed great!

Yay...the queen cage is empty! Mission accomplished...

It was exciting to find the empty cage and make the first inspection of the hive...In fact...it was so exciting that Hubs decided we really should have a 2nd hive! He was able to track down a hive all ready to go and with the promise of another bee package. This package arrived the following Saturday and we were ready to go with the new hive and another custom hive stand.

Hubs did a great job installing this new package. A few shakes and the bees headed into their new home!

One of our beautiful golden Italian bees...We are pretty in love with beekeeping so far!

The second hive queen also successfully made her way out of her queen cage. The chickens decided to wander out to the hive with us to see what's up!

We still have soooo much to learn! Honestly, it still seems somewhat overwhelming...but, we have learned that the beekeeping community is pretty awesome and very willing to help. I can't wait to see where this journey takes us!