All good things must come to a end. This week’s blog is dedicated to three garden volunteers that have gone above and beyond to help our garden grow: Geri Shaw, Barry Einck and Emily Bauer. We asked them share a few thoughts about their TMA Garden experience.
Geri Shaw, Mom of Fifth Grader, Broderick Miziker
How long have you been involved with the garden?
By Jared DeBest, TMA 5th Grader
TMA has a wonderful garden where students get to enjoy and learn about planting. We have parents, classroom Garden Masters, who help us each month in the garden with our lessons and activities. We also have Master Gardeners who teach our classroom Garden Masters all about gardening and tying academic concepts to work in the garden. They were trained and certified as Master Gardeners in the amazing University of California Continuing Education Master Gardener Program. The two Master Gardeners who graciously volunteer their time in our garden are Teena Spindler and Joanne Byrd.
Teena has been our very own TMA Master Gardener since our garden started when I was in first grade. She had a big part in helping make our garden what it is today. What she likes most about gardening is the beauty and perfection of flowers and vegetables. Teena started gardening when she was 8 years old and her mom gave her a packet of flower seeds. She chose to give her time to TMA because gardening is important in her life and she wants to teach children about it. She likes to be on the team of gardeners here at TMA because our garden programs are so well organized and managed. What she loves most about helping with the TMA garden is hearing stories of what the kids have experienced in the garden and hearing about how some have started their own gardens at home.
Open House is next Wednesday, May 30. Come see what all the excitement is about in the TMA garden. All the children have been exploring the garden this year and can take you on a tour. Encourage your child to show you what they have learned and how proud they are of their garden. Ask them about some of the highlights like the water cistern, rain chains, compost bins, worm bins, native garden, etc.
New Volunteer Position
Looking for a great volunteer job that can be done completely from home? We’re looking for a new Garden Communicator who communicates with the GMs about the class weekly visits to the garden. A great job for someone who works full-time and is not able to be on campus much. If interested, please contact Joyce Howie.
Kellogg, one of our garden’s major sponsors, recently donated bags of gypsum, soil amendments and mulch. We’ll use these bags during our May and July garden workdays. This material will help prepare our soil for planting in the fall.
Known as a premium garden soil, potting soil, mulch and fertilizer provider, Kellogg has been donating to the TMA garden for more than two years. Each year this California-based business provides us with amended soil in the fall and again in the spring. Their delivery includes 125 bags of material worth more than $5,000. Thank you, Kellogg!
Here’s the donation breakdown:
In May, the garden is hosting a few events that you’re not going to want to miss.
Tuesday, May 15, 8:30-10 a.m.
Calling all garden team members and Garden Masters! Join us for refreshments and coffee, as we celebrate our successes and share the challenges we encountered this year in the garden. The team will have a special thank you gift for all your hard work. Please join us.
The TMA Garden is so lucky to have the love and support of multiple community members from TMA families, local businesses to nonprofit organizations. We couldn’t be successful without their time and funding.
The benefit of this blog is that we get a chance to publicly thank those that give so much to our garden. For example, recently we received a $200 donation from a TMA parent, Barbara Biela, whose daughter is a fifth grader. She’s been donating to the garden since 2009. We really appreciate your support, Barbara.
Also many local businesses support our garden. Just a few weeks ago, Slow Food, Orange County donated $450 for garden tools. They are just one of many local businesses that have been long-time garden supporters. Also, we found an online business, Peaceful Valley GrowOrganic.com that donates seeds to schools.
By Kailie Aguilar, Student Blogger
I am in second-grade Brownie Troop 1972. My troop painted pictures to decorate the water cistern in the TMA garden.
Before we started painting, Mrs. Streichenberger called up a few girls to show an example of how to paint on the special paper. We took a walk in the garden to get some ideas and then Mrs. Frank passed out the supplies. We started painting after that.
George Pallete, a 15-year-old sophomore at Foothill High School, is currently a Life Scout (on his way to Eagle Scout) from Troop 36.
He attended Tustin Memorial Academy for elementary school. George enjoyed his time at TMA, where he made lots of friends and had great teachers. He has many good memories from his time at TMA and wanted to give back to the school.
When George was planning his Eagle Project, he contacted TMA first to check if there was something that would meet his Eagle Project requirements. He was told that the garden was in need of a bigger, more durable bench.
