Thursday 23 June 2016

The Orchard Garden's 2016 Summer Solstice Celebration


Today the rain came down hard!  The plants in the garden didn't mind, and we were all in a happy mood to celebrate the Summer Solstice together, which passed just recently on Monday, under the cover of a few cozy canopies!  


A team of us UBC Teacher Candidates hosted the event as part of our Community Field Experience Practicum.  Members of the Orchard Garden student team, from the faculties of Education and Land and Food Systems, also helped host the event; a great success.   The morning and afternoon were spent in appreciation of the many joys of the garden, and its community of supporters and caretakers.



Our visitors included a local preschool group! We read stories to them, showed them the small and large hyperboloid structures we had made, and engaged them in making their own hyperboloid structure.  They brought a fun-filled sense of wonder as they perused the garden activities, creating place-based art, and making their own herb bouquets.



To celebrate all that the summer will bring from the garden, there were herbs placed on a table, ready to be made into "bouquets" to take home and enjoy.  The little ones, as well as us adults, all enjoyed smelling their unique fragrances.


An array of foods was available to enjoy, featuring the flavors of the garden.  We enjoyed salads, veggies, bread, cheeses and the most delicious cookies you can imagine!  I think it is safe to say that we all formed new connections with the local community as we mingled over fun and food.


It was a huge success, enjoyed by us all.  The only bittersweet element: it is sad to think that this means our Community Field Experience practicum is almost over!  We have our workshop on Saturday and then our practicum will be finished.  We have learned so much through being in the garden, developed friendships and newfound ideas about gardens in education, and sustainable food systems.  What a valuable opportunity this CFE has been! We look forward to continued learning, and frequent future visits.

By: Isis & Mary


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