Community Garden Thriving in 2024
The Red Raider Gardens at Elm Street Elementary School is going strong! The community garden sold out their 20, 4’x 8’ raised beds. So, on Memorial Day weekend, with the help of David and Lois Osborn, John Hise and Alice Evans, six additional raised beds were built. Three of the beds have already been promised to new gardeners! The remaining three beds are available for $30 each. Three 10’ x 20’ in-ground beds are also available for $45 each.
Treasurer Lois Osborn also donated materials for the new beds including three new shovels, a new 100 foot hose and a wheelbarrow. Also purchased were 12-yards of top quality garden mix from MRLM.
Future plans include planting strawberries, blueberries and cherries along the fence for all gardeners to enjoy. The group is also planning to purchase picnic tables with umbrellas for shade and community building.
To become part of the Red Raider Garden, gardeners have a responsibility of donating at least 5 hours a season to make improvements. Plans for this summer include the 2nd annual Ice Cream Social, a Farm to Table meal in the garden with entertainment and a Fall Mum Sale.
At the NAACP Lake County's Juneteenth Celebration at Veteran’s Park in Painesville on Saturday, June 15 from 11:00 - 5:00, the group will have a booth giving away tomato plants and flowers to all children to plant in their own gardens!
If you are interested in becoming involved with the Community Garden, please contact Lois Osborn at 440-487-1292 or visit their Facebook page!
David Osborn building a new raised bed
Alice Evans helping construct a new raised bed
Alice Evans watering an established plot
At the end of the Painesville City Local Schools school year, three 4th grade classes of science teacher Mrs. Ratay at Elm Street Elementary, planted their own seedlings in two 4'x8' raised beds in the Red Raider Gardens at Elm. Students began their seeds in their classroom on May 1 and transplanted them to the community garden on May 20.
Over the course of four classroom sessions, students learned about the essential elements needed to grow their own plants/vegetables, their nutritional value, photosynthesis and the difference between vegetables that we eat (like root veggies, flowers, stems and fruits such as tomatoes and zucchini). Students brainstormed and chose the vegetables they wanted to plant, made garden stakes and created beaded bracelets representing all the elements needed to grow with different colors.
Over the summer, a few students and their parents will help tend the community garden beds by watering and weeding, and in the fall, the now 5th grade students will harvest their own vegetables and eat them!
Special thank you to Lois Osborn, Dr. Frances Webb and Tina Wilson who all volunteered on this school project. All three women are members of W.I.N., Women in NAACP.
Lois Osborn, Mrs. Ratay and student
Students and Lois Osborn
Dr. Frances Webb and students
Dr. Frances Webb, Lois Osborn, students and Mrs. Ratay
Tina Wilson, students and Lois Osborn