About Me:
My name is Dana and Science is my favorite subject. I'm also really big on protecting the environment. After all it's the only one we've got! I have a horse named Bubbles and a fish named Francis.
Favorite Quote:If anything is worth doing, do it with all your heart
- Buddha
Bean and cheese burritos
Interests:Volunteering, animals, nature, physics, biology, chemistry
Archives:
About Me:
My name is Erika and Art is my favorite subject. I like painting, making sculptures and designing web pages like this one! I also love any kind of puzzle: jigsaw puzzles, crosswords, word games, trivia, you name it! I have a Parrot named Franklin Delano.
Favorite Quote:Every artist was at first an amateur
- Ralph W. Emerson
Tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches
Interests:Art, games, puzzles, trivia
June 29 2009
Compost
I've been getting funny looks from people all semester for carrying buckets of kitchen scraps out to my compost heap every day. Trey and I set it up a while ago, and I've been steadily building it up with leaves, grass clippings, and kitchen scraps. Properly maintained compost can really make your garden flourish. I've been diligent about stirring it and adding things in layers to make sure it's breaking down correctly.
Captain Wits also thinks it's funny how I keep following him around and taking all of his yard waste, but he can't complain that I'm taking what would ordinarily be garbage and turn it into gardening gold. Trey and I are also going to set up some vermicomposting bins to have an army of worms helping make our garden awesome. I think Captain Wits will like that idea!
posted by Dana
June 23 2009
I love playing in the dirt
We planted Dana's seedlings today. Gardening is hard work. I got so dirty, but it was so much fun! First we had to prepare all the beds, using the compost that Dana's been working on to enrich the soil. Compost is the neatest stuff, it actually gets hot as it just sits there! Exothermic, as they say.
Dana said that because her compost is just getting started, we would use this "worm juice" stuff to add nutrients to the soil. Worm juice? Turns out, it's worm pee! Apparently plants just love it. We'll be able to make our own here at the Academy, too, once the vermicomposting bins are in place.
We planted everything in rows according to Dana's master plan. She wanted certain things planted next to each other for some reason. I think she said something about companion gardening...
posted by Erika
June 23 2009
The Garden
Hello cyberspace, I have returned.
My plan for the Academy garden this year is to focus on edible plants to help reduce the Academy's grocery bill and to provide us with fresh, organic produce right on campus. I know a few people were hoping we would plant a cutting garden, too. With Betty's help I made another bed just for flowers, but I made sure that all the flowers we are growing are edible, too!
Even though she is at summer school, Erika is helping me set up a Web site for our garden. Now everyone will be able to see the progress over the summer.
To figure out where we're going to plant everything, I've been reading up on companion gardening, that is, planting things together that will help each other out as they grow. Did you know that parsley can keep away the bugs that torment tomato plants?
posted by Dana
June 18 2009
Catch You on the Flip Side!
Bye, everyone! Sorry I couldn't stay to help plant the garden, but my classes start next week. Dana, send me an email when you're ready to work on the garden Web site. I've got all kinds of awesome ideas for it!
posted by Erika
June 15 2009
Hello, Cyberspace
Hello cyberspace, I have returned.
I decided I couldn't stay away forever! My mom really wanted me to give her updates during the summer, so I've come back to the blog.
This summer I'm staying at the Academy to work on a campus greening project. I'm going to establish a compost system for the cafeteria and a garden on the campus grounds. I’d also like to start an orchard to go with Yoko's cherry trees, and, of course, there will need to be garden maintenance chores assigned to the cadets to keep it going all year long.
I can't wait to be able to have fresh fruits and vegetables right off the campus grounds!