Grayling is Garden Central

Wednesday, August 25, 2004

Junior Master Gardeners! Has nice ring to it, doesn’t it. Well that’s how you should address some of the fine, young workers-of-the-soil at Grayling Elementary School. Their garden was selected from more than 500 children’s gardens nationwide, to receive a 2004 Youth Garden Grant from the National Gardening Association. The grant provided seeds, books, songbird feeders, fertilizer, rose bushes and an earth box. Under the watchful eyes of resident master gardeners Carole Robin and Linda Talacki, the children have created beautiful spaces around the school. The program is accredited by Michigan State and takes two years to complete. The first year group of students planted herbs, tomatoes, peas, eggplant, cabbage and many other vegetables in a plot surrounded by at least a dozen types of flowers. The advanced group which is in its second year, planted heirloom vegetables and flowers, created stepping stones, toad houses, bee nesting blocks, and added a flower bed to greet visitors. In other parts of the grounds are thousands of bulbs and flowering plants that present a rage of color from early spring until the frost. All of the gardening is organic to teach the children good land stewardship. During the summer, the students met every Monday to take care of the garden and reap their harvests. Word has gotten around about the garden which also receives support from Ray’s Marathon Gas Station and 4th grade teacher Uti Umana who is an army Medic stationed in the Egyptian Sinai.