For the upcoming workday, the most urgent tasks are in the back garden and woods areas, though there is some work to do in front of the school. Keep reading for more details.
1. Our school forest, a popular destination for learning activities, needs some TLC. Joe House will cut down some dead trees, and we'll be spreading mulch on the main trails and pulling garlic mustard.
2. Behind the school, our picnic tables by the back garden are starting to sink into the ground. We'll pull the tables out, give them a thorough scrubbing, and put some fresh mulch underneath.
3. We need to remove the metal fencing from around the back garden plot and put it in or behind the shed for winter storage.
4. While we got rid of a lot of thistles by the back garden and woods entrance at our last workday in August, many have grown back, and we need to pull them to make this area safe and comfortable for students.
5. The apple orchard needs some attention! While you can't see the picnic tables in this picture, they need to be cleaned and moved. The trellis around the orchard needs tightening, and we need to add reflective tape or signs around the fence to avoid damage from snow plows in the winter.
6. By the time October 18 rolls around, second graders will have cleaned old tomato vines and marigold plants out of the circle garden. On the workday, we'll then till and prep the area for fall bulb planting. Additionally, all the mosaic signs from in front of the school will be removed and stored for the winter.
And last, but not least, I was sad to see this the other day. It appears someone threw a rock onto this display box and broke the protective cover. The whole reason we work so hard to maintain our Outdoor Education program at Crestwood is to teach kids about the natural world around them. The more they know, the more respect they will have for this space.
Cheers,
Susan