Garden Science, a sixth-grade curriculum at North Lamar Independent School District in Paris, Texas, has become one of the most popular class electives Frank Stone Middle School has to offer.
From every seed that’s planted to maintaining and monitoring the gardens, students are developing a love of gardening in and out of the classroom.
Under the guidance of instructors, Martin Bryant, and Joseph Tellez, more than seventy students are experiencing gardening from those who initially learned from their grandparents.
“We always had a large garden, and I spent a lot of time around my grandmother. She could grow anything,” said Bryant who grew up on a dairy farm, worked in the family garden and was in 4-H.
“I’ve probably learned more since I took over the class than I knew before. Growing things has always been interesting to me, and I try to approach the class with a ‘why not’ attitude. While this approach gets me into a lot of extra work sometimes, it seems to work well for Garden Science.”
Tellez said, “My grandparents introduced me to gardening, and I have been hooked ever since. I’m very intrigued by the power of plants and the healing aspect of a clean and proper diet. I wish everyone had the opportunity to eat food that was grown and cultivated by their own hard work. It just tastes better. It even ‘feels’ better. I enjoy passing this information along to our students and hope to encourage others to grow their own food and support local organic farmers.”
Students in Garden Science are learning about the Texas Planting Zones and what can thrive in Lamar County’s USDA Hardiness Zone 8. During the two-semester course, students are hands-on in the garden with an introduction to fall, winter and spring vegetable planting, landscaping, greenhouse management and composting. Through the class projects, students are learning how to propagate plants by means of sowing, cuttings, and division.
The young gardeners plan and plant seasonal vegetables for four 3’x12’ and one 5’x12’ raised beds and a 40’x140’ in-ground garden. Produce includes lettuce, spinach, carrots, radishes, onions, strawberries, blackberries, cabbage, broccoli, corn, okra, peppers, squash, zucchini, tomatoes, pumpkins, gourds and a trellis for growing cucumbers. Around the garden, an orchard has been established with four peach trees and four plum trees. Using cafeteria scraps and other wastes, students make compost that is used in the gardens.
“It is my goal for the food to come full circle and be served one day in the cafeteria,” said Bryant. “Many of the students are trying foods for the first time. In one of my classes, eight of the 15 students ate spinach for the first time. There’s something so fulfilling seeing a student eat a fruit or vegetable that they grew from a seed and tell you it’s the best thing they’ve ever eaten.”
Much of the produce is given away, so a logo for their “Stone Grown” produce was created as a market strategy for packaging and business cards.
“It’s also a lot of fun to walk through the school building and hand out bags of produce to staff members,” said Bryant.
Landscaping the teacher’s lunch area and campus flower beds have been another project. Tulips, Dutch iris, crocus, hyacinths and daffodil bulbs give the campus a pop of color at entrances, courtyards and around the flower beds. In the cut flower garden, sunflowers make a delightful showing in the fall and plans are for dahlias to show their elegance in the spring.
Fundraising is necessary to meet the visions of the two instructors. The sale of mums in the fall netted the Garden Science class $2300 to be used for seeds and landscaping supplies. A proposal is in the making for teaching rose garden. If funded students will have hands-on experience in preparing, planting, pruning, fertilizing and caring for different types of roses.
Principal Kelli Stewart has been instrumental in the success of the Garden Science program. And, working in collaboration with Bryant and Tellez, she is helping guide the team to choose a choice site and color scheme for the rose garden allowing it to be highly visible by those passing by the campus.
Bryant has found a way to connect with his students.
“This is easily the most worthwhile I’ve felt in the school setting. My wife and my mother keep telling me that I’ve finally found my true passion. I enjoy teaching this course as much as I enjoy coaching, and I got into education so I could coach.”
What these students are learning in Garden Science will not be on the STAAR test, but it’s a lesson they will carry on for life.
