I have been so excited to write about Veggieville, Newtown Elementary's own organic garden!
I found out about it when I first started going to O Wow Cow in Wrightstown for ice cream; Veggieville is prominently listed on their colorful blackboard of Farm Partners.
O Wow Cow gets fresh mint and seasonal strawberries from Veggieville to use in their ice cream.
Veggieville crops are also donated to Philabundance and a few local food pantries.
It's the first of it's kind in Bucks County; now in its third season, and I was lucky enough to be invited to photograph several classrooms as they weeded and planted last week.
Identifying weeds.
Pulling weeds.
Pulling weeds a little too hard!
Did I mention that one of Veggieville's Co-founders has become one of my very best friends here in Newtown? Kathy Skalish co-founded Veggieville in 2010. When I asked her why she started this project, she told me that the reason was two-fold, "First, to introduce kids to more fruits and veggies for better nutrition; and second, so that they could experience first hand what farm-to-table means."
Identifying vegetable plants.
Who thinks they know what these flowering plants are?
They're strawberries!
And since I took these photos two weeks ago, they're probably ripe and ready now.
This is a special mint called Chocolate Mint.
There were plants to be planted...
TEAMWORK
Always let Voles Cross first. They're good for your garden ;)
Ready to plant some seeds.
This is my favorite photo from the whole morning.
To me, it is the embodiment of nature, weather, learning, and the promise of good things to come.
"If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need."
-Marcus Tullius Cicero.
