THE HOPE VALLEY SCHOOL GARDEN
Garden Update at the End!
Gardening in June 2012
Planting the Raised Garden Beds for the Summer Season
Gardening in September 2011
Harvesting and Maintaining the Raised Garden Beds
"On Wear Blue Day because of Our Blue Ribbon Status"
Planting, watering, and staking vegetable and marigold plants
in the Hope Valley Garden in June 2011.
CHARIHO GARDENS
· Began in 1996 at the Middle School by Mr. Potts
· Began in 2000 at Ashaway Elementary School by Mrs. Foggo
· Began in 2001 at Hope Valley Elementary School by Mrs. Foggo
· 2001- 12 raised beds in Hope Valley
· 2002- added 7 more raised beds in Hope Valley
· October 2002- Mrs. Foggo wins state award:
“Outstanding Conservation Teacher for 2002”
Press Release
Denise Moretti-Foggo, of Hope Valley Elementary School, is being honored this year for her outstanding work with Kids Grow! Denise has been working with school Kids Grow! Gardens for three years now, and her energy, commitment, and creativity integrating Kids Grow! Gardens into the curriculum and life of the school are outstanding…..
· The Chariho Times, October 24, 2002
Hope Valley Teacher Receives Award
Exeter- Several recognition awards were presented last week by the Southern Rhode Island Conservation District at its annual dinner meeting at the Exeter Grange Hall... The "Outstanding Teacher" award went to Denise Moretti-Foggo, a teacher in the Hope Valley Elementary School who greatly expanded the Kids Grow! Program there by growing raised beds of vegetables that were donated to a food bank.....
· 2002- 2008 average yield of 295 lbs annually
· 2009- 14 of 19 raised beds needed to be replaced, done after-school by students, staff, parents, and community members
· The Chariho Times, June 18, 2009
Title: Community Garden Helps Accomplish Several Goals
· A Dream Realized! A shed for our garden was donated by the Nichols Foundation of the First Baptist Church. It was erected by students, staff, parents, and community members from the First Baptist Church on July 6, 2009.
· 2009 yield of 400 lbs
· 2010 yield of 250 lbs- had donations of more peppers than tomatoes and more cherry tomatoes vs. regular sized tomatoes, hence the lower yield
· 2011- Fourth grade students continue to learn all aspects of the garden through science and mathematics instruction. They also learn community service. Various aspects include inventory maintenance and purchase, shed organization, lessons on plant growth/fertilization, garden mapping, perennial/annual plant sale to raise funds for veggies, starter planting from seeds, problem solving to determine budget and purchases, data collection of service hours/garden chores/yields, preparation of garden for planting, raised bed planting and garden maintenance, and fall gardening tasks.
· Our most successful vegetables have been tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, squash, cucumbers, and beans. Marigolds are planted to ward off unwanted creatures.
· All of the harvest has been donated to local food pantries.
· The Hope Valley Garden would not be success if it was not for the Hope Valley Garden Committee and the Summer Gardening Schedule. Current school staff, students, and parents: and also community members from past Hope Valley families and from members of the First Baptist Church are collectively behind our overwhelming success!
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2011 yield of 150 lbs- had a lower yield due to variety of crops harvested (tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, squash, beans, cukes), bean and squash beds did not do as well as expected, tomatoes were still the highest yielding crop
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all 2011 food donations to our local community in need- Canochet Cliffs, First Baptist Church, Wood River Health Center, St. Joseph's Church (St. Vincent de Paul)
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137 gardeners over the summer of 2011 with a combined total of 56 hours of work
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65 gardeners during the 2011-2012 school year with a combined total of 255 hours of work as of June 1, 2012
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April & May 2012- students have been preparing the 19 raised beds as the weather permits
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June 2012 update- most planting has taken place, we await more favorable weather to finish our planting of tomatoes
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Summer gardener orientation will take place on June 14, 2012; all planting is completed.
The garden has continued each summer. Most recently, in 2015, Home Depot replaced all 19 raised beds.
The 2016 summer gardeners were busy taking care of the tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, peas, and basil this year! The tomatoes, peas, and basil did the best. Our donations were happily accepted by all needy community members!
2017- We will harvest only tomatoes and peas this season.
