Community garden takes root in South Tahoe
By Kathryn Reed
Hands covered in dirt, a trowel being passed around, plastic containers of tiny produce, laughter and learning. It’s all part of the recipe to create a community garden behind Mt. Tallac High School.
Dirt in five raised beds made of bamboo are gently being molded into rows. Miniature holes are dug with what’s called the tiny shovel. In go the spinach, lettuce, radishes, carrots, basil and cilantro.
Bijou and South Tahoe High students start a community garden. Photos/Kathryn Reed
A net covers the beds to prevent critters from munching on the veggies.
This is all part of the final project for a group of students in AP Environmental Science at South Tahoe High School.
Mostly, though, it’s eight students in the Friday Night Live club from Bijou Community School doing the work.
Danny Reyes, a junior at STHS, spearheaded the project to get the younger students involved. He and a few of his friends who were part of the planting project on Thursday are mentors to the FNL kids.
Once a week the older students do a team building activity with the FNL group.
Catheryn Linkul plants cilantro.
“I like making more things for the Earth,” Catheryn Linkul said. If the fourth-grader’s mom lets her, she hopes to be able to check on the garden this summer.
Dana Tumbaga said the idea is to get the community involved in the garden. People who help with it this summer will be able to have some of the harvest.
Reyes said the students are working it out among themselves on
Danny Reyes makes sure the work is getting done.
a rotating basis to ensure the garden is cared for.
thank you. this is a wonderful positive story. I’d love to hear more about the food that is grown and produced right here in town. we are not only a consumption island; we can grow some of our food right here. children love to be part of this process and learn that all food is not made in the back room of safeway. they also love having their own mini farms.
Yesterday I was afforded the opportunity too visit the garden, meet the students and learn how they came up with the idea. The work it took to prepare the site and get it going is amazing. As any Tahoe gardner knows, the weather this spring has been partiucularly challenging. Undaunted, the students persevered and got their garden going reusing available materials wherever possible to demonstrate sustainability principles.
This is a perfect example of the kind of community building spirit that we must adopt in order to overcome the economic and environmental challenges we face. Community gardens are an especially potent example as they are part of the overall plan to create a local foods program which is one of the elements of the city’s sustainability action plan.
Kudos to these and other students whose projects in the AP Eenvronmental Science program are making a difference in our community and beyond. Also, hats off to teacher Jamie Greenough for her dedication and passion which inspire her students to take on the challenges that face us all.
For more on the progress of the Tahoe region composting and local foods program please visit Composttahoe.org.