A Schoolyard ... that Students Can Eat!

“Children who learn to grow their own food, learn to appreciate good food.” With those words, Belmont Station Elementary Principal Patty McGinly officially dedicated the “Blooming Buddies Edible Schoolyard” on Thursday, October 8th.


Situated at the rear of the school, the Blooming Buddies Edible Garden features numerous small plots of crops designed to teach students about healthy eating. Such gardens were started a dozen years ago in Berkeley, Calif., and are now in about 25,000 schools nationwide.

Belmont Station's garden was made possible by a partnership between the school's PTA and the nearby Bloom supermarket. Bloom, which was represented at the dedication by District Front End Service and Technology Manager Rick Faulkingham, donated more than $3,000 toward the project.

The PTA, lead by President Chantel Gaspie erected a white picket fence around the garden complete with “critter wire” to keep some of Belmont Station's animal friends from enjoying a quick snack.

The dedication featured fourth-graders in green visors and kindergarteners in green aprons. Music teacher Rose Thomas led the students in singing “My Planet Your Planet” and “A Seed Grows.”

When the singing and formal words were done, the kindergarteners went to work in the garden; hopefully beginning a lifetime of appreciation for freshly grown, healthy produce.