Bright Beginnings

The day began with clouds covering the sky, hinting at potential rain. Our group of eight met to discuss our day, beginning with introductions and a general outline of the UBC Orchard Garden community field experience. Safety procedures were discussed for twenty minutes, and with that we jumped right into our new practicum.

Splintering into smaller groups, we began by discussing the potential benefits and limitations of garden learning in an educational setting. Some of the benefits discussed were that participants could learn applicable skills, such as working on large-scale projects with a team, identification of different plants, and managerial and organizational skills. Additionally, we also discussed how time spent working on projects in community gardens could foster empathy and patience in participants, two traits that are usually difficult to develop in more typical educational settings. Our discussions then delved into various limitations that might affect development of student gardens, such as administrative support, cost, and logistical constraints such as who provides care for the gardens during periods of time where schools are not in session. The time passed quickly during this process, and by the time our groups were finished discussing, the sun began to peek through the clouds.

Our reflective practices were next. We spent individual time in a favorite garden spot, using our senses to glean what information we could about our chosen space. Haikus were written by each of us, and everyone seemed happy with them! But by the end of this period, the sun had now emerged fully, and we began our gardening work in earnest. With our instructor leading the way, we weeded several beds in the garden, working until every weed was torn from the ground. But we didn’t stop there. In two of the beds we planted little squash seedlings, in a larger bed we planted eleven larger tomato plants, and in individual pots we planted both basil and lemon balm seeds. I think that we may have a lot of growth to observe over the coming weeks!

I personally found this experience incredibly enjoyable. The pace of garden life is magnificently laid back; you receive one task, and work on it until completed. There are no stressors due to artificial time constraints, as the only time constraints that exist are those that are per-defined by nature. This makes the process incredibly rewarding, as everything I learned from my brief exposure to the gardening process feels important and easy to apply. I am excited to see the growth that occurs in these plants, and welcome the opportunity to develop a green thumb over the next few weeks. Let the three weeks of sunshine and a light breeze commence!

Weeding the beds for the squash

Weeding the beds for the tomatoes

The planted tomato seedlings

The planted squash seedlings