Garden Days

Spring

With the arrival of Spring come the wrapping up of the school year, final projects, presentations and assessments, and preparation for the June graduation ceremony. Spring is also the time when we look ahead to the year's growing season in our garden, and when we come together as students, faculty, and community members to wake the soil from its winter hibernation, and prepare it for planting and growing over the summer. Each year, students work in the garden throughout the summer months, getting ready for harvest in the fall. "Waking up the garden" is a full day community event, and friends of BDEA are welcome to join! After a few hours of invigorating work in the warm-ish weather, a picnic lunch is provided. This year, Spring Garden Day is earlier than usual--April 17th--to allow for maximum planting time and to include a few new crops.

Fall

After 4 months of caring for our growing garden, students, faculty and community members gather again to "put the garden to rest". Crops are traditionally donated to Haley House Bakery and Cafe, who use their delicious recipes to turn the yummy vegetables into food for their patrons, and also for our lunch! After harvesting the crops and getting the garden ready to hibernate for the winter, the gardeners enjoy the last of the warm New England weather at an outdoor picnic.

Exciting news about our garden...

With the help of Boston Natural Areas Network (BNAN) and the Boston Department of Neighborhood Development, BDEA now has a lease for additional garden space across the street from the school! A plot of land that had been a garden but has laid fallow for seveal years is now ours for the purpose of expanding our crops and building a greenhouse.  BNAN assembled an incredible team of urban garden professionals who took us from soil remediation through crop determination, management and landscaping. 

Plans for this space continue to take shape, with an outdoor classroom, a greenhouse, a butterfly garden, and plots for our neighbors and friends to participate in the benefits of urban gardening.