As you are aware the Hilltop School Garden is an on-going project.  Thanks to the Navajo Nation Department of Agriculture who donated fencing supplies and cinder blocks in early August.  Since then, we have had a few volunteers install the garden fence and constructed a few raised garden beds. The garden is located on the northeast side of the school playground and you are more than welcomed to tour the work in progress.

Just to provide an update on what has occurred so far: the regular growing season is coming to an end and we are in harvest time.  However, there are a few vegetables that can still be planted in the fall with proper care of over wintering: artichokes, asparagus, beets, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots, chard, kale, spinach, lettuces, peas, radishes, turnips, cilantro, parsley and garlic, and many more.

We had the students’ plant beets, radish, turnips, lettuce and carrots in their prepared garden beds.  Also being that the students are learning their shapes, the garden beds were designed with a shapes theme: square, circle, triangle and rectangle.  At least once a week the students have been in the garden to plant seeds and to turn over soil with their own garden tools and hands, but their favorite is watering the garden with the hose.

There will be a garden work day and request for parents and other volunteers from the community on September 02, 2013 (8am – 2pm) to fix the in ground garden and prepare it for spring planting.  We need help to loosen the soil and mix with compost.  Please bring your own tools if you can: shovels, rakes, tillers, etc.  We also welcome donations of tools, containers for random plantings in the garden during the spring.  Thank you for your interest and support of the Hilltop School Garden.

Contact Kathy Kee-White at (505) 371-5726 if you have any questions.