"Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon," says columnist Doug Larson. Children may not be able to harvest bacon from trees, but Lakehill students will soon get the satisfaction of harvesting vegetables from their own garden at the Environmental Science Center.

Seventh and eighth grade students joined forces to transform an open area of land and construct a vegetable garden literally from the ground up. The 5' x 20' garden will have a row for each Lower School grade to plant and cultivate while Middle School students will weed and maintain the garden.

While school and community gardens are popping up all over the United States, Melissa Carpenter, Director of Environmental Education, feels that the Lakehill garden is different. "It really is a community effort: our older students have created the space, the younger ones will plant the crop, and then they will come together to harvest and celebrate their efforts," she explains. 

Each Lower School grade will plant a row of vegetables during their next visit to the Environmental Science Center. Kindergarten students will sow spinach, while the first graders will plant peas. Students in second graders will grow garlic while those in third grade will cultivate carrots. Fourth grade students will raise radishes. Students will learn about irrigation by using a rain barrel, filled with water from the lake, and a soaker hose.

The benefits of school gardens are immense and multi-dimensional. Gardens help children form a connection with nature, while encouraging them to become good stewards of the environment. School gardens allow students to make connections between diet and health, and studies have shown that children are more likely to "eat their vegetables" if they grow them themselves. In addition, creating their own garden cultivates self-esteem and school pride for the students involved.

Parent volunteers have played a critical role in the establishment of the garden. Steve Werther, the eighth grade parent volunteer, has been instrumental in this project. "He has spent a tremendous amount of time helping us. He gets all the materials, teaches the students about general garden preparation, and shows them how to use the tiller and yard tools," says Carpenter. " Seventh grade parent volunteer Laurie Lopez helped with the beginning stages of the garden and each Middle School grade has a parent volunteer on board to assist the students. Plans are underway for a dedication ceremony to celebrate the first successful growing season.