I'd suggest that with regard to summer that family stewardship is a good plan ... as soon as possible during the school year, invite families to visit and tour the garden. * Alternative #1-invite families to adopt specific parts of the garden (and if this is a food growing garden, invite their decisions on what will be growing during the summer). Aim for 2-3 families to steward each section, so that their 'workload' each week during the summer is minimal and if someone doesn't do what's expected, others will come through. Hold another orientation session toward the end of the school year, to be sure families have access to the tools they'll need, teach them to do the basic tasks needed (weed, water, harvest, etc), handout a short tasks guide and a formal schedule for how often they should come. Have 1-2 adults volunteer to coordinate, just to remind families to followthru, etc. * Alternative #2-much like the above, but not by section. Create an upkeep guide (short, picture guide to weeds, reminders of what to do, etc), and a formal schedule listing the steward families for each week during the whole summer. Again 2-3 families per week, so care is certain but not very demanding. Again, hold an orientation several weeks before school is out to hand out the schedule, 'train' the families, be sure they know where everything is, etc. In either case, be clear about what they can harvest (veggies, flowers, etc) so the families are getting something out of it. Have a thank you potluck for the families in the fall, thank them in the school newsletter, ... It's less the idea of buy-in as it is fun and something for them. As to the fall, I'm not knowledgeable about the growing season where you are, but perhaps a variety of cover crops, different ones in different beds, to do observations about how they all grow and benefit the soil (soil test before they are planted, again in the spring before anything else is planted). Also could experiment on some of the beds with crop extension techniques (hoops, double hoops, etc per Elliot Coleman) and seeing what might grow / or not. Judy Tiger Washington DC In a message dated 2/9/2006 6:54:45 AM Pacific Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: ....summer break....suggestions to get around this. Also, the Ontario growing season is short....
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