Day of Service – Jacobs Elementary School – Hull, MA

By Celis Brisbin, Programs Manager

Spinach Planting at the Jacobs

The fall season brings many new and exciting changes to many of us here on the south shore. And as we all settle in to our new routines, the students at the Jacobs Elementary School here in Hull have begun a new routine of their own: fall planting. With the help of Holly Hill Farm, the students have eight raised gardens located next to their playground. The children have enjoyed watching their gardens grow! The gardens are a joint effort throughout the school. Each grade participates in a different, but co-dependent way. For example, the entire student body separates their compostable material from their trash at their lunch hour, and the fourth graders are responsible for adding this to the compost bins along with dry leaves. We are also installing a rain barrel to use to water the beds and teach water conservation. This will be one gradesʼ job and the students will all share the chore. During their time at the Jacobʼs, the students will learn the importance of each job. The second grade students have started their fall planting season beginning with spinach. First, the students discussed what these plants will need to grow: soil, sunlight, water, and space. Then each class gathered around the schoolʼs compost bins to collect humus (the composed product) for the gardens. They were eager to see how their apple cores, banana peels, ect. decomposed into nutrient rich soil. They were also eager to see the worms! The students then added the humus to their classʼs garden and turned it with the existing soil. After creating rows in the garden, each student added a few spinach seeds, covered them gently with soil, and wished them all “Good Luck.” With the help of our cafeteria staff, we will pair this seasonʼs spinach with our garlic from last season and create a delicious meal for the students and staff. The students are enthusiastic about their gardens and eager to reap itʼs harvest.

We would like to thank the USGBC Massachusetts Chapter and their support from Triumph Modular for making this day happen. It was a great opportunity to share this lesson with our students. Thank you!