Submitted by Stacy Stevens
Germantown, Tennessee--September 14, 2021-- I give all of my students a tour of the garden as I visit with my new students each fall. I share a little about myself and we discuss types of stress management and ways we can control our stress level throughout the school year. For me gardening and working in the yard are big stress busters, so it's fun to share this joy with them and oftentimes students are surprised to learn how fruits, vegetables, and herbs develop and that many samples are growing right here behind our school. It's also exciting to be able to smell the variety of herbs we have planted and try to name that scent.
Riverdale students have enjoyed getting a first hand look at the concept of farm to table through the school's Outdoor Exploratory Lab. The lab features 5 raised beds with various fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers for viewing. Students and their families visit during the summer to water, weed and care for the school's garden.They also have an opportunity to enjoy a taste from the harvest each summer. The garden currently boasts of seasonal tomatoes, okra, carrots, corn, beans, and several varieties of herbs and flowers.
(Far right: Dillon Hennings, 3rd grade at Riverdale Elementary School)