When will spring arrive in Newark?

What? you say, it's not even Thanksgiving and already you want to know when spring will arrive?!?

Well, we think spring in fall because this is the time for planting tulips and other bulbs. And as we have the last few years we will be participating in the "citizen science" project Journey North. 

Along with kids in schools all over the northern hemisphere we will plant Red Emperor tulips and record when they emerge and bloom.

"We are the pupils of the 5th Form from the Lycum #1557 in Zelenograd, Moscow, RUSSIA. On September 23rd, we planted 57 tulips." 

In order for it to be a "fair test" we will be following the same scientific protocol as other test gardens.  That means we plant the same variety of tulips, the same depth in the soil, the same distance apart, etc.  

Beginning very early in 2014, we will see other test gardens reporting their tulips as emerged, and then blooming.  You can see an animation of the "journey north" of spring on the map here.

All of this reporting gives us information about weather, climate and how those things affect plant development. It's really pretty cool.

Food Day in the Living Lab Garden

Did you know that October 24 is FOOD DAY?  Have you ever heard of Food Day?  Well one day in advance of Food Day we got together in our Living Lab garden to talk about food and where it comes from.  Soooooo...

"What the heck is Food Day anyway?"

•  A nationwide celebration and a movement toward more healthy, affordable, and sustainable food

"What happens on Food Day?"

•  In 2011, 2,300 events took place in all 50 states. Organizations and individuals use Food Day to celebrate what our food system does right, advocate for change, and highlight the work they are already doing.

"What are the Food Day priorities?"

•  Promote safer, healthier diets. The foods we eat should make us healthy not sick. Yet, every year we spend around $147 billion on direct and indirect diet-related health care costs!
•  Support sustainable and organic farms. Sustainable farms are those that meet the needs of today without comprising the ability of future generations to do the same. 
• Reduce hunger. Currently, around 50 million Americans are considered “food insecure"

Annual Spring Festival

 Our annual spring festival was a great success. Lots of people helped to get the garden ready including Mr. Lassiter from Harriet Tubman School and volunteers from Newark Leadership Academy.

 We did a scavenger hunt for birds, beetles, and other interesting things you can find in the garden.

 We harvested lettuce, collards and spinach and kale.  We washed some of these greens, spun them in our salad spinner, and had a taste of garden-fresh produce.

Greater Newark Conservancy staff blended "The Hulk" Green Smoothies; brewed mint sun tea; and served up watermelon, popcorn and other healthy treats.

 Clearing out last fall's collard greens gave us room to plant our new crops.









Look at these collard green flowers!

 Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, callaloo and more.
These warm season veggies will be cared for by Conservancy staff over the summer.  Come out on Thursday mornings to help and harvest something tasty to take home!

Help Us Design a New Sign!

Our garden signs are in serious need of renewal.  Here's what fourth grader, Sequoia Hightower, had to say about it:

The sign that is currently out in the garden looks old and rusty.  It has probably been hanging there for years with those same words.  I think it should be improved because I would not want to walk past that same sign every year.  If I were a worker at Harriet Tubman School I would say something like, “We need a new garden sign because this one is old and rusty.”  It should represent our school.  It should at least have our cobra sign or our schools stamp, or even the school uniform colors, blue and white.  I bet all of the students including me would be surprised.

We want a new sign that really represents Harriet Tubman School.  We are soliciting ideas for the design and we'll be putting together a team of painters.  Please contact Ms. O'Leary or Ms. Jess if you are interested in helping out.

We've got worms!

There was lots of excitement as we welcomed the newest members of the Harriet Tubman School community--WORMS !!
The science lab now has a brand new worm composting bin.  It is home to many, many redworms.  

 Students learned that while the plants we grow and study are producers and we (and many other animals) are consumers, worms are vitally important decomposers. Worms are full-time recyclers making our old banana peels and the fall's  leaves into black gold: rich soil for our garden.

 The worm bin will be a place where we can continue to look back to see the worms go through their fast and fun life cycle.

 

 You won't believe some of the wild facts we are learning about worms!

• They have no eyes but can sense light!
• They breathe through their skin!!
• They have no ears but can "hear" vibrations through their bodies!!!

Stay tuned for more crazy worm facts!

Check out this cool video from the folks at Life Lab.