Thursday, October 27, 2011

Donadea woods woodland wander

Men's Group at Donadea Woods - Tree Seed Collecting

Last week I took my men's group to Donadea to go seed collecting. We found acorns, conkers, sycamore and maple helicopters, lime seeds and beech masts. And this little fella! Any thoughts on who he is?

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Summer - NFRC Family Grow Your Own Day

Family Day - Grow Your Own at NFRC

 In July, we were asked to hold a family Grow Your Own day at the Newbridge Family Resource Centre. We had a lovely day planting up window boxes with a mix of edible plants, lettuce, scallions, parsley, and herbs. We planted tomato and pumpkin plants with the kids, who painted the pots in gorgeous bright colours first. We dug up potatoes from the vegetable garden and the kids chopped and cooked them into chips, which we feasted on before the day was out. We made dream catchers to finish off and the families went off laden with plants! Lovely day all around.

Projects during the year: Woodland Education Programme

Woodland Education Programme - LA21 Project

GROW in conjunction with Earthforce Education (www.earthforceeducation.com) received funding under Local Agenda 21 this year, and we ran a woodland education programme for secondary schools in Meath and for primary schools in Wicklow. Myself and my friend, Ciara Hinksman, spent 6 days in the woods with the children and TY students, exploring the magic of the woodlands. We explored the woods using a variety of games, with nature themes, using blindfolds to test their senses, sneak and capture games, we did bug hunts and plant ID, and we introduced some survival ideas, such as using your senses, tracking, and how to light a fire in the wild! We had amazing days out with the kids, and they all went home covered in muck, which was for us a mark of a succesful day out in the woods! we're planning on doing this programme again this year, so watch this space...

Sunday, October 2, 2011

School Organic Garden Book - practical guide for teachers

Kick start autumn in the school garden with this pracical teacher's guide...


The Year Round Organic School Garden
 - ON SALE NOW -

 'The Year Round Organic School Garden'  is a hands on manual for teachers and anyone working in schools setting up school gardens with children!

I co-wrote the book with KEEP and Irish Seedsavers, so if you're at all interersted in the book, they're selling at 17 euros, to buy them contact me on 087 6508226 or email growingardens@gmail.com and we'll be in touch!

Friday, June 3, 2011

Lucy in the Irish Times!




















Lucy in the Irish Times!

It's only my picture, but the article is about the fantastic school garden in Donaghmede, that I worked on with Ian when I was still working for KEEP in Kerry! Great article on promoting school gardens!


Spring Madness!!




Spring 
Madness!

It's been a fierce busy spring for GROW, we've been teaching in Allenwood, Newbridge, Athy and we've just started a new horticulture group in Celbridge in the new ACRE Project that's been kicking off there. The ACRE Project is a very innovative community project that's looking to develop an all inclusive community garden project beside the Salesian College on the Maynooth Rd, we're expecting great things from this project!

On the schools front, we've been busy with setting up vegetable patches and especially busy doing willow structures this year. we've built a willow dome and fence in Nurney NS in Kildare and most recently I built a unique structure for the lucky hens at Derrinturn NS. With 4th class we built two mini domes and a joining fence, we're hoping they're going to provide some nice shelter for the hens, if we ever get some summer sun!