Sunday, May 21, 2006

Head Start students learn from the garden


Life - Head Start students learn from the garden
By Laura Wilson
Staff Writer

(Photo in today's Stillwater NewsPress shows Teacher Tammy Moffat and students with appropriate caption)

The Head Start community garden became a classroom without walls recently.

Carl Barnes and Al Toops of Conservation Organization for the Restoration of Native Seeds and Dick Ortez, local grower and owner of El Sueno Enterprises, guided 90 children and a dozen teachers, parents and volunteers in planting the three sisters — corn, beans and squash.

Each child planted a corn, bean or squash seed in the outdoor garden, alongside other vegetables planted by community volunteers.

CORNS has led classrooms across the United States in this traditional Indian ceremonial planting. Barnes, who was awarded the Cherokee Medal of Honor in 2001 for his work, and Toops have also assisted Cornell University in developing gardening curriculum, available on the Internet at .

The children also examined fresh-cut broccoli and green onions pulled from the garden, along with ladybugs, worms and other garden curiosities. Classes had previously planted seeds indoors, along with radishes and other seeds in their outdoor plot, and recent art projects and other activities had a gardening theme.

“Our work with the children has really been aided by having the community garden this year,” said teacher Lucille Duncan.

Participants in organizing and planting this community garden are Rachel Toops, manager of Countryside Gardens; Ilda Hershey of Sustainable Stillwater; Cara and Ron Beer, Progressive Interfaith Coalition representatives; Kelsey McCollum, Payne County Extension and participants of her Master Gardener class; Chris Brock, Head Start teacher; and Imad Abouzahr, Head Start parent.

Other volunteers include Phillip Moffat, Fred Causley, Eddie Whitehead, Jo Heiliger, Kevin Drees, Sharla Lovern and Cynthia Drescher.

Compost, seed, plants, fertilizer and drip hoses have been donated by Oklahoma State University agricultural classes, JohnnyÂ’s Selected Seeds Company and several other people and organizations.

Not sure who took this photo but the camera and several folks ran outside to see the beautiful sunset last night from Mom's home. the other pics will be online soon. There was a small front moving out of panhandle into OK last night and when I got up this am at 4:30 it was actually sprinkling here too!! but didn't last long.. enjoy the day... I think maybe Kara or Sharon or Phil might have taken the photo.. but then, I have been wrong on lots of things in my life!! Enjoy
Stan Moffat

Some of Great Grandma Moffat's flowers by her garage last evening in the sitting sun... We all went over to eat homemade Ice Cream and Spanish Rice, etc at the Robinson/Moffat gathering Sharon Robinson and Marilyn started several months ago. A great time was had by all. Food was Awesome and fellowship was GREAT!! Morgan is heading to Japan for a month in August to meet and greet and see about possibilities of studing there next year or so in Kito.. bet this is not spelled correctly... Kara is now in her third week of marriage and all is well, Micheal was last heard from heading to Houston with girlfriend to try to increase his dsl business... etc... Lawrence was on business trip, Madison was sick, Jon's did not make it, and Jake is working 7 days a week, sunup to sundown in panhandle of OK on a triple decker oil rig that he and two other welders are getting repaired on location so the company can get to drilling. Talk about pressure.. haha...
Stan Moffat

Life consists not in holding good cards...

Today's Quote

Life consists not in holding good cards, but in playing those you hold well.

-Josh Billings