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Panorama School Garden Meeting

Thursday, August 25
A select handful of garden appreciators gathered at the Panorama School garden on August 25 to see what our Slow Food school garden dollars support. B.J. Mincemoyer, our intrepid gardener, showed us her handiwork and we sampled just pulled kohlrabi, cucumbers and fresh soybeans that were lightly boiled. The garden has suffered some with the drought this summer, but B.J. waits for nature to provide, not relying on the hose. She does water when she plants the seedlings in about 5 inches of rich, composted earth on top of macadam. That she reaps as much as she does, with many flowers volunteering prettily along the edge, is quite a miracle.
After reading aloud the announcement of the Slow Food gift, I also read B.J.’s thank you note, that explained that the money went toward bulbs for the beds near the school and seeds for next spring’s planting unit, part of the kindergarten curriculum. I also read aloud the thank you note from Karen Burkhard, Panorama’s kindergarten teacher, who stated her gratitude with help in her mission to “strive to encourage children to appreciate gardening.” Panorama Principal Jean Vadalla stopped by between new student meetings to also express her gratitude for the support of the project and said that the garden is something that is very special to all the students.
We sat around the garden, sipping Fresh Mint Lemonade and walked around the school to see the beds planted now with sturdy coleus and impatiens. A Peace Garden nearby, that commemorates the Opdenhoffs, provides many flowers for butterflys and bees as well as a wooden bench with a lovely view down the valley.
The gardens can be viewed at any time, so the next time you are in the vicinity of the Panorama Elementary School and have a few minutes to spare, take a detour and see what determination and wisdom can accomplish. Just be sure to realize that there is more growing in that garden than meets the eye!

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