Pictured is the current state of the healing garden at Old Trail Farm. If you are not familiar with our connection to Old Trail School, we are partnered with them to manage their farm and create a space for their students to learn where their food comes from and a space for our interns to learn how to be amazing land stewards.
As you can see, the beds must be repaired and it needs a makeover. Considering the current situation of COVID-19, we wanted to restore this space to create a happy and relaxing place for the children when they return to school.
The goal of the healing garden is to provide a place for the students to unwind, learn and interact with their environment. The students will learn about various plants that are medicinal, edible, and aromatic. This garden experience is designed to stimulate the senses through touch, sight, taste, and smell.
The key components of the garden include:
- An empty space designated to featuring a new fruit or vegetable that the students will learn about.
- Two newly built herb beds. Herbs from these beds will be used for crafts and recipes.
- Berry bushes behind the herb beds to provide a tasty treat and help young students develop fine motor skills.
- A freshly mulched bed lined with bricks and filled with flowers that are pleasing to the touch.
- A retreat in the back of the garden for the children to play and use their imagination.
- Fragrant flower beds that are lined with bricks will flank a seating area under some already existing trees.
- Brightly colored flowers in the center that will bring pollinators into the garden.
We need your help!
We are looking for pavers to create a permanent hopscotch, stepping stones for the walkways, bricks, and/or large decorative rocks to line the beds. Also, any pergola or large trellis for the entryway, tree stumps (12’’ in diameter), wooden spools to make tables, outdoor dining set, or any decorative items in general would help bring this vision to life.
If you would like to donate any of the above items to the healing garden project, please email our Farm Manager, Ginnette Simko, at gsimko@countrysidefoodandfarms.org.