Previously published on November 4, 2021
Riverside Elementary School has recently received several grants to help revitalize the school’s garden. During the pandemic, fewer people were able to come to school to help tend to it, and eventually it wasn’t in great shape anymore. But the garden is a fantastic hands-on learning experience for the students, so the school decided they had to renew efforts to rejuvenate the space.
Recently, they were approved for a $1,000 grant from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to put towards the purchase of ten fruit trees. The school also received a $2,000 grant which is going towards raised flower beds to be placed throughout the gardening space.
These additions to the garden were made during the first week of November, with help from the ISU Extension and Outreach office, who taught some lucky fifth graders how to plant the trees. Shawn Tabke from the ISU Extension and Outreach office in Woodbury county will continue to help the school get the garden up and running again, with future plans to continue expanding the learning opportunities the garden offers.
During the spring semester, students will begin planting their “salsa garden” in those raised flower beds. Once their tomatoes, peppers, and onions are ready the kids will make salsa, hence the name “salsa garden”.
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