October and Madeleine tend to the garden

Juan: I liked using the tools to saw, build, and hammer. I also liked going on the field trip. We got to use a compass.

Peter: What do worms eat? Eggshells, leaves, bananas. If you can compost it, worms can eat it! Worms need dirt, food, warm water, but not a lot of water. We built them a home and put it in the shade. Last week was cool, because Natalia came and we drew a mural and it turned out great. I loved playing games at Fort Totten and I also LOVED how scary some of it was, like the dark, quiet, long, secret storage room.  

Felix's worm drawing

Ava: The activities are so cool and awesome. Planting was so fun. I like composting so much. Bokashi was super cool. I like it all!

Charlese: I saw birds and leafs. I saw bees. They drink the flower for the nectar. I saw two baby carrots. I saw a green tomato. I could see lots of plants in the garden.

Natalia: I learned that we can all help the world, even if it is small.

Mason: Hey, plant, give me a moment to pant / You need to be mowed, to be regrowed / That plant needs to eat poop, to not droop / God, we need you to give us a robot / The bot will stop and put cumquat in the compost / Thank you New York for this garden work / Thank you boss for this moss

Vanesa: Today, after going to the rooftop garden, I noticed my plants have grown, improved a lot. For instance, in just six days the radish plant has growth into a little sprout. Also, the marigolds have grown way bigger, with a stem and three leaves.

The Compost Rap

Compost is the way to go
Reuse our waste to make things grow
If we learn what we can throw
We can make our compost grow

Apple cores, bananas bruised
Coffee grounds with filters used
Garden clippings, eggshells crushed
Fruit pulp left behind all mushed.

Hair from a haircut, kitchen scraps
Laundry lint from dryer traps
Paper shredded, tea bags too
All with a bit of worm poo poo

Carbon, nitrogen, oxygen
Are the layers in a compost bin
Carbon is made with paper and plants
Food waste does the nitrogen dance
Oxygen comes from turning it
Once a week will make it fit
Spray it lightly with a mist
Cover it up, you get the jist!

Henry

Medali: My favorite activity is going to the rooftop and helping the garden be a better one (taking care of it, picking out the whole plant to make more space, and trying to redecorate it). I learned that in the compost bin, you could basically throw in food you eat---dairy, bones, etc.---but you can’t put anything such as wood, plastic, and things you can’t eat. I learned that we can all help the world, even if it’s something small.

Emma

Jeremiah (Dasney): Roses are red / Violets are blue / Compost is brown and poop is too / Composting is awesome and so are you. Favorite activity: sprinklers. Something I learned: With compost, you can use almost anything.

Labeling Popsicle sticks for plant markers

Madeleine: We saw bolted plants. We saw a lot of bees. We tried green beans. We tried yellow beans. We saw carrots. We saw worms. We saw tomatoes. My most favorite thing is when we did 3 stations: drumming, design, and art. My favorite ones were music and art-freeze-dance. My least favorite thing is when we go to the garden because there are lots of bugs. And I always scream when I see them.

Harvesting food at Governor's Island

Felix: I really liked the trip to Governors Island. I also liked being able to eat plants that were grown by other students.

Ava has the answer

Vanesa: My favorite activities were planting, plants, and vegetables. We got to be able to do hands-on activities like touching dirt and observing different plants, weeds, vegetables in the garden using our human senses.

October is a natural on the drums

Camilo: My favorite activity was when we were playing free music. Anything we played with the drums. I enjoyed planting herbs, doing compost, and working with soil and dirt. I’ve learned that people don’t want to compost dairy, like cheese and milk and other things ’cause they stink a lot. Then when it is stinky, raccoons, chipmunks, squirrels, and mice come around. Compost is really important for the world. Without compost, there would barely be soil.
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Henry feeds the goats at Queens County Farm

Jaylin: My favorite thing was planting a lot of seeds. I also liked where we learned now to make compost, plus transplanting and the sprinklers, too. I loved the interview with Peggy. I liked where we did freeze-dance and playing the drums---that was great. I loved all the activities. I had a really fun time here. I love this program.

Ezra

Murray: I liked when Karryn taught us what to ask if we were the designers and she was the client. For instance, we would ask if she wants certain plants on the property or a fence.

Sprinklers in the greenhouse

Justin: Greenhouse observations: There were iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, and more strange plants! Some are dying at this weirdo stage. They have flowers on ’em! It’s wet here! Favorite activities: When we are on Governor’s Island. I loved the Ferry. Yesterday,when we were playing the drums. On the rooftop garden, playing. Surprising stuff: Just because the soil on top is wet, the bottom may be dry. Same thing as the top soil is dry, and the bottom is not. DON’T water too much.

Finished design: rooftop garden

Ingrid: My favorite activity was when we got sprinkled on and soaked wet. Also when we watered the plants and planted new plants because the other plants didn’t grow. I learned that we can compost a lot of things. Some go in the green organic matter and some go in the brown organic matter.