The Addelita Cancryn Junior High School garden is sprouting once again, this semester with the addition of an accessible water supply and shelter from the elements.
The garden project was inaugurated in April by Wendy Diaz, longtime geography teacher, author and activist; Richard Pluke, Fintrac agronomist; Chloe Beyer of GrowVI, a new not-for-profit group working to bring together farmers, restaurants and consumers to promote sustainable agriculture; and local farmer June Archibald.
Pluke, who has helped local farmers for the past four years through Fintrac’s agricultural assistance programs, is now on assignment in Tanzania.
Two professionals from the University of the Virgin Islands Cooperative Extension Service — Carlos Robles and Albion George — lend their expertise to the project. They bring seedlings donated by UVI and the Department of Agriculture.
The big news right now is the water supply provided by George: a 500-gallon tank he is bringing from UVI which will be placed close to the garden’s perimeter.
"What a relief," said Diaz, although the installation is being held up temporarily by construction on the school campus.
Irrigation has been a chore thus far. "The youngsters have to fill the bottles from the only water supply, which is at the front of the schoolyard," Diaz said. "We have to water the plants twice daily. We do it in two shifts, in the morning and after school. In the morning the plants are already dry. It takes lots of water."
The Student School Improvement Committee and the Tshwane after-school program that Diaz founded tended the garden over the summer, reaping its bounty and going more or less straight into the youngster’s family’s kitchens.
"There wasn’t really enough of a harvest to do anything with, like selling," Diaz says. However, that may be on the agenda for the winter crops if they are ready in time for the St. Thomas-St. John Agriculture and Food Fair in December.
This summer, the youngsters, along with some adult supervision, constructed the shelter, a greenhouse covering the 20-by-30-foot garden.
George brought seedlings a few weeks ago for the students to plant, cautioning them to care for each plant, to label it, and to keep a journal of its growth, insect problems, and anything else the cabbage, cauliflower or broccoli should encounter.
"This way you will be responsible for the plants," said George, who has supervised the nurturing of other school gardens. He said these so-called "cold weather" crops are not supposed to grow here — but that’s just not so, he said.
Right now, Diaz said, she is awaiting George’s advice on how to counter caterpillars which have become a problem.
Diaz pointed out some new additions to the east side of the garden, not under the enclosure. "We’re trying corn and peas," she said. "This is a new experiment, so we’ll see what happens." They will grow along with a row of pigeon peas already about four feet tall.
Beyer of GrowVI is enthusiastic about the fall garden. She comes to the after-school meetings, and digs in with both hands helping the youngsters, sifting dirt, watering. Soon, she says, GrowVI will have its own website.
Editor’s note: The Source has been monitoring the progress of the garden since its inception, with a running account of garden needs, problems and successes.
