“A garden is a grand teacher. It teaches patience and careful watchfulness; it teaches industry and thrift; above all it teaches entire trust.” —British horticulturist, Gertrude Jekyll
Now in its second year, the Skamania School garden—a joint project with the PTO—has taught students many lessons.
Each class has its own raised gardening box, built by parent volunteers. On a recent garden tour, seventh grade students Brody and Parker described battling pests—“Something was digging up and eating all of the seeds.”
They also shared that their garden produces things that cost very little to plant—such as succulents—but bring in a surprising amount of money.
Their efforts recently culminated in a plant sale, which raised more than $300, so the seventh and eighth graders could go and enjoy some time at the Stevenson Community Pool.
The school’s produce will be making appearances this summer in Stevenson at the Saturday Farmer’s Market.
“It was pretty fun planting it,” Brody says.