Q: What does the club do with the harvest?
A: Garden club members enjoyed eating the vegetables they grew. They took some home and we shared some with teachers and staff within our school!
Q: Do you use volunteer groups?
A: We did enjoy the help of a former Hickory Ridge parent who shared some of her expertise
with us and lent a helping hand on multiple occasions.
Q: Do you utilize fundraisers or sponsorships to support the garden?
A: In our initial year, we received several significant donations to get our raised beds built. The concrete blocks were generously donated by Piedmont Block Co., Baucom’s Nursery donated the soil and other items, and we held a Donors Choose Campaign that was highly successful.
Additionally, we held a spring plant sale and are currently holding one in the fall.
Q: What are the benefits of the garden club?
A: I personally wanted to start the Garden Club after seeing a need for students to get outside more, connect with nature and disconnect from the screens that are so prominent in our lives these days. Also, middle school students are at a pivotal age where they want and need to be social but need more opportunities to collaborate and work in teams to hone those social skills. The Garden Club provides so many ways students can experience goal setting, problem solving, collaboration and responsibility. Lastly, it is a great way to get kids outside their comfort zone a little bit and try new things, hopefully leading to more diverse and nutritious eating habits.
Q: Share any success stories or memorable experiences related to the garden club.
A: Overall, the whole experience has been amazing! I was blown away by the generosity of our community and the enthusiasm of our students. We shared so many laughs and learned together along the way. One of my biggest takeaways is that you don’t have to be an expert to be successful with the Garden. You may have some ups and downs, but learning alongside the kids is what it’s all about.
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