On a sunny afternoon in the fall, the 3rd Grade "Golden Hawk" Family with their teachers, Kate Langdon and Kristina Skladaitis, put on their gardening gloves and hiked to Brolo farm in order to broaden their understanding of seasonal produce, the planting process, and the importance of soil. Upon arrival at the farm, the students engaged in a mini-lesson on the change of seasons and seed identification. It was important for the students to have a strong understanding of the purpose of being on the farm. In order to start the process, the students analyzed seeds and matched them to the type of produce the seed represented. Seed analysis is certainly easier said, than done, and the students did a wonderful job talking about strategies for solving the puzzle. Students were quick to take into consideration the texture, shape, and color of the seeds in order to make an educated guess of which type of produce they would be planting. It wasn't long before the students realized they would be planting beets, kale, and lettuce.

Once the students learned what we were going to plant, it was time to learn how we were going to plant. Breaking into two small groups, with the assistance of Camilla and Jonathon from the farm, the students were able to dig shallow trenches, use their fingers as measuring tools to properly space out the seeds, cover the seeds with compost, and finally sprinkle a small amount of water over the trenches. The students took extra care not to overwater the seeds since we weren't placing them deep into the ground. Although the bare dirt lanes didn't look like much upon our departure, the 3rd Graders are eager to revisit the farm again; this time to measure and chart the plants' growth.