A Wonderful Day for Peace Patching!

A Wonderful Day for Peace Patching!

No occupation is so delightful to me as the culture of the earth, 

and no culture comparable to that of a garden.

- Thomas Jefferson

Ms. Gibbon's First Graders in front of Three Sisters Garden.

The midday sun was beaming brightly as Andréa and I made our way to Campbell Park Elementary for a couple hours in the garden. As is usually the case on our Wednesday shifts at Campbell, we weren't sure what - or who - the afternoon would bring us. Yet the not knowing is fine by me, as my time in the garden is always a much needed sojourn from the business of everyday life.

Campbell's garden is the baby of the Peace Patches - just over two months old - and it never ceases to surprise me what new growth has taken place over the course of a week. Yesterday we were met by sprouts of beautiful okra we'd planted a few Wednesdays prior.

Hello Okra!

Andréa watering the cucumbers.

I looked over at the construction crew working on what will soon become a bank building beyond the fence, and am reminded of how what we are growing together in the garden is worth far, far more. 

Not long after we finished giving the beds plenty of water, Ms. Gibbon's First Grade class lined up on the sidewalk, ready for their first tour through Campbell's new garden. It's a pretty amazing experience to walk these children around their very own Peace Patch. 

         

We split off in groups of two, Andréa leading half the class and I the other. Much of the beauty of

working with these children is never knowing quite what to expect. One guarantee, however, is the excitement you can see in all of their faces. 

The beauties of growing food can capture the interest of most anyone, and it's wonderful to share this excitement with a group of kids. I really can't imagine a better way to spend a Wednesday afternoon!

Until next time,
Alix