‘Magic Garden’

Martin recently received a grant to fight childhood obesity and has launched a school/community/church project to teach students in kindergarten through high school how to grow and prepare foods raised in Wallowa County.

In partnership with United Methodist Church volunteers, the community of Joseph and the Joseph School District, Martin has organized what she calls the “Magic Garden at Joseph School.’’ An amount of $1,200 in grant funds are being used to refurbish a greenhouse owned by the school district and used by past agriculture science classes. A new clear fiberglass roof was installed on the greenhouse and a propane heater was added. A thermostat will soon be installed.

Much of the labor was provided by the high school shop classes. Ed Staub and Sons helped to install the propane heater. Joseph Hardware donated 715 packages of seeds that will be started in the greenhouse as soon as shelving and bedding trays are prepared.

Anne Bloom from the OSU Extension Service has visited the elementary classrooms to share information about nutrition and how to cook fresh foods. The high school food and nutrition classes have developed kid-friendly recipes that use fresh produce. In the fall they will show the elementary students how to prepare the recipes and send fresh produce and recipes home with the children.

Martin met with the school cafeteria cooks earlier this month and they are eager to obtain fresh, local produce for the salad bar and other menu offerings in the cafeteria.

Volunteers are needed to prepare the fresh, raw produce for use in the cafeteria. If prepared vegetables are ready each Monday morning, the cooks say they will be able to plan meals around what is available. They say they look forward to the opportunity to offer fresh healthy choices in the school lunch program, Martin said.

Shari Warnock’s third-grade class in Joseph received cabbage starts from Bonnie Plants  and have entered a third-grade cabbage competition to grow the largest green cabbages in Oregon. These will be planted in large pots and situated around the perimeter of a fenced garden plot approximately 40 by 50 feet, which the school district owns. This plot will receive intense rehabilitation, according to Martin, to allow seedlings to be transplanted there later in the spring.

Martin said she has five volunteers scheduled to help elementary students plant seeds in paper towel tubes that will allow the seedlings to be transplanted without handling when they are ready to go into the ground.

“I really like having the students do hands-on learning projects like this, and it gives them an opportunity to do community service as well,” said Warnock.

Janie Tippett of Joseph donated an additional quarter-acre of garden space for the project in Imnaha.

Martin has written another grant to the Bishop’s Initiative on Hunger. The funds would be used to purchase deer fencing for the Imnaha garden and needed supplies for the whole project. Martin said the Imnaha garden spot is a great asset to the program because the chances for high yield are increased in the milder climate in that region.

Throughout the summer, produce from the project gardens will be offered at the farmers markets in Joseph and Enterprise. All proceeds from produce sales will be contributed back into the gardening project, Robin said.

A Harvest Festival is planned for the fall when students have returned to school and the end of summer brings garden production to its climax. Organizers say the festival will feature locally produced foods, plants and animals. Cider pressing, juicing of fresh fruits and vegetables and hand-cranking ice cream will be on the agenda. All county residents are invited to participate and learn more about growing their own food.

The success of the project is heavily dependent on volunteer labor. Already more than 67 hours of volunteer time has been logged. Martin said a landscape architect and a master gardener have volunteered consultation time for the project.

People interested in volunteering can show up every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon at the garden plot behind the modular classrooms at Joseph School. Students will be working during these times. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, adults may work without the aid of student volunteers. It is crucial, Martin said, to recruit volunteers to weed, water and harvest during the summer when students are not consistently available to help.

Contributions of supplies and equipment are also welcome, Martin said. Mulch, compost, a roto-tiller, seedling heater and a refrigerator with freezer have all been donated so far. Anyone wishing to contribute time, energy, funds or equipment should call Martin at 541-432-4042.