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This work party had a great turnout – volunteers representing the diversity of the Sabin Community came to work on improving the Sabin Edible Gardens, despite the blustery weather! Continue Reading »

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To any in doubt about why an elementary school would need an edible garden,  I recommend reading Michael Polllan’s article in the New York Times Magazine entitled, Farmer in Chief.  In it, Pollan makes the case that many of the challenges America faces in healthcare, energy, climate change and national security are tied to our nation’s food policy.  He writes,

“Changing the food culture must begin with our children, and it must begin in the schools. Nearly a half-century ago, President Kennedy announced a national initiative to improve the physical fitness of American children. He did it by elevating the importance of physical education, pressing states to make it a requirement in public schools. We need to bring the same commitment to ‘edible education’…On the premise that eating well is a critically important life skill, we need to teach all primary-school students the basics of growing and cooking food and then enjoying it at shared meals.”

“To change our children’s food culture,” he continues, “we’ll need to plant gardens in every primary school.”

Click here to read the article in full, then sign up to help in the Garden Committee here.

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The Native Garden now has permanent paths, thanks to purchase of 75 stepping stone pavers by the Sabin PTA.  A big “Thank you!” goes to Ken Rumbaugh and the ACCESS Academy classes of Ms. Clarke and Ms. Egan for braving the wet weather and installing over 1200 lbs of pavers to make these new paths.  The next step for ensuring the success of the Native Garden will be to create fencing that directs foot traffic to the stepping-stone paths.

(The stepping stone shown in the photo is one of several dozen decorated by Sabin students several years ago.  These were mixed in with the new pavers.)

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Last Saturday, October 18, parents, neighbors and students helped in the Edible Garden by pulling weeds, laying down landscape fabric and spreading donated mulch.  Plus, the spectacular iron gates for the garden by Matt Cartwright were put into place.  These gates allow easier maintenance access to the garden, while helping to create a sense of place.  The finishing touches (a big sign at the top and a latch) will be installed soon.

A big thanks goes to everyone involved!

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Gates for Edible Garden by Matt Cartwright (under construction)

Our Edible Garden is in need of a little TLC and you are invited on October 18th from 9am – 2pm to help clean our garden up.   Our goals are to weed the area, place weed barrier in open areas then put the chips on the barrier. Not only will this spruce up the looks of our garden but also get our garden ready for the fall/winter season. The new gates by Matt Cartwright for the Edible Garden (pictured) will also be installed. Free coffee and muffins for all volunteers.

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It has been determined in the past few PTA meetings that the formation of a Sabin Garden Committee is needed. The Garden Committee will discuss and make decisions regarding allocation of resources, funding for projects and materials, garden maintenance, curriculum development surrounding the garden, long term goals and vision for Sabin Gardens, the distribution of food grown in Sabin Edible Gardens, and other issues. The Garden Committee will report back to the PTA as needed.

If you’re interested in being a part of the Garden Committee, contact Madelyn Mickelberry: madelyn@sabingardens.org

Our first meeting will be coming up soon!

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Parents, students and neighbors all helped to get the Sabin grounds and gardens ready for the school year at the PTA/SOLV Spuce-Up Day on August 23rd.  Significant for the Native Garden are new benches that circle some of the mature trees nearby.  At left, two ACCESS Academy students pull some prize oak tree starts from the Native Garden.

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Meley and Kionna take time to smell the flowers.

Now you, too, can take time to smell the flowers.  Visit our Gallery page, where you’ll find some lovely shots taken by Sabin Sun camp counselors during the first week in garden class.

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Sabin Gardens needs to have cedar chips spread around the pathways and on the outside of the berm. This will suppress weeds, maintain moisture for raised beds, and keep the garden with a beautiful and maintained appearance. More chips are being ordered this week. Now all we need are volunteers to spend a few hours spreading these chips! Extra wheelbarrows will be helpful.

Interested volunteers can send me an email with availability to madelyn@pdx.edu. The PTA spruce-up day on August 23rd could be a good time to work on this. Let me know if you can help on the 23rd. Another time can be coordinated if needed, also.

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Sabin PTA/SOLV Spruce-Up Day: August 23rd 9am-noon (& beyond) — Come help clean-up and freshen up Sabin School, inside and out. The Sabin PTA & SOLV team up to get the school grounds in tip-top shape in time for our returning students in September. E-mail the Sabin PTA at sabinpta@comcast.net for more details or to sign-up to pitch in. We are in need of volunteers with construction skills as we will be installing four new benches and two new garbage containers on the Spruce-Up Day.

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