Getting My Hands Dirty Again

Over the past 2 or 3 weeks, I have started my favorite project yet at the school -- a garden! Louise (of dog treat fame) networked us with a young man who was looking to start a gardening/sustainability project at a school. I sat in on his first meeting with my boss and asked for the project. Over the past 5 years, I have missed playing in the dirt -- as much grief as I have my dad about helping outside, I love gardening and being close to the earth.

Joshua (you guessed it -- another pseudonym) helped me get started with some easy indoor projects --earthworm composting, quick-growing indoor greens -- to give the kids something to do right away. But the big project is the outdoor garden, where we will grow beans, popcorn, pumpkins, tomatoes, herbs, and other food produce to eat at school and teach nutrition and a love of dirt. This weekend (while I'm in Virginia) a veritable army of volunteer (it's a father-son event) plus Joshua and Ana are digging the ground and putting in soil to have garden beds ready to plant Monday!

When we started the indoor projects, some of the kids were squeamish about getting their hands in the dirt. They think it's gross that I'll touch potting soil with my bare hands -- while I can't wait to get dirt under my nails outside. A seventh grader had a moment of triumph when she picked up an earthworm while wearing a latex glove. A sixth grader used all her courage to poke one worm quickly with the tip of one finger. But my favorite was the 7th grade girl who at the end of her first class had her hands as dirty from potting soil as my own.