The Last Class

Today is the last day of classes for the 2008-2009 school year. A rainy grey afternoon was spent weeding and mulching the garden. This years elective is leaving a large garden full of sprouting plants and a shed frame. The summer will test it's ability to survive and hopefully there will be a full garden at the beginning of next school year.

Thursday, June 4th

Now that our seeds have been planted and started to sprout we are looking into how to keep them hydrated. As of now we hare individually watering each plant with a large barrel that we fill water bottles from. However this system will be the best this summer when it is just Rob who is taking care of the garden, especially when the large barrel runs out of water. There is a river near by so a funneling or pumping system might be possible. For now though each little plant gets what the individual care it needs. 

Slow Growing

  Here you see the wood that has been harvested from the TSA plot being stacked. This process has helped us raise $200 so far for our organic Garden. The Garden has started to sprout and today we are planting more vegetables such as cucumbers. We still don't have many materials and tools for our garden but we hope that we will get enough donations and will be able to raise enough money to support the Garden. Now we are looking into organic compost, most likely from Vermont, to nurture our little seedlings. 

Tuesday 5th of May- Fresh Start

Seeing how what was previously planted was plowed up during break we are starting fresh. Today we planted cover crops including Radishes, Carrots and Lettuce. Trees have been cut and need to be chopped in preparation to be sold and delivered. There is a fare bit of poison ivy that will need to be dealt with.  However there is not much we can do with out more fertilizer and tools. Hopefully those won't be issues for much longer. 

Thursday, April 16th

Much was accomplished today at the Garden. The old falling apart shed has been torn down, leaving space to build a new more efficient gardening shed. Seeds were planted and we expect to see some sprouts when return from April break. Another bed has been raised and we will finish planting soon. 

Donations Greatly Appreciated

The Organic Garden group is looking for garden tool donations. This includes garden forks, rakes, hoes, shovels and water barrels.

Please contact Rob Stainton at rstainton@sharonacademy.net if you wish to make a donation.

Donations will be greatly appreciated. 

Tuesday 7th April - The First Shovel

There was no fanfare, little celebration, just a moment to take a picture as the first shovel marked the corner of the organic garden on the TSA owned Cleland Land. A plot of flat field running along Route 14 in Sharon, VT. A shed stands obsolete, largely rotten and unusable. The field is covered in the remnants of winter rye. A small wood lot blocks the morning sun. By mid afternoon the sun is in full force as this early spring day turns mild. A group of students, Otto Pierce, Mookie Kristensen, Bobby Farrell, Galen Riddle, Olivia Conner, Anna Fischer-Byrne, Mia Johnson and Sam Rossier, quickly get to work. The first job, to clear, clean and organize. The space around the shed will be the central location for the garden and is covered in the remnants of the guy who lived there as a winter caretaker. Four corners, two woodpiles and no sumac, the beginning.

Our Misson

A group of students from The Sharon Academy, led by faculty member Rob Stainton and senior Otto Pierce, is putting together an organic garden on land the school owns in Sharon. By doing this we hope to fulfill our global responsibility to food security as well as creating a space for students to learn more about gardening and what it requires. 

A group of TSA students will be working on the plot tuesday and thursday afternoons until mid June of 2009. Hopefully Students will return in the fall to continue its maintenance.