Crop rotation and irrigation are terms not usually associated
with a suburban garden. But the “Busy Bee Garden” behind St.
Ambrose School in Annandale uses that technology along with
solar panels and a weather station to manage a sustainable
organic garden. Even the name suggests sustainability, with
bees helping to pollinate the plants.
The garden will be a tool for teaching students
entrepreneurial business skills, but service and respect for
God’s creations is the prime goal. And the timing of the new
garden coincides with Pope Francis’ encyclical on the
environment expected to be released June 18.
The garden was blessed and officially opened June 10 with a
ceremony at the school.
Sister Bernadette McManigal, superintendent for diocesan
schools, welcomed garden club members and families. She said
the garden is a wonderful project that will help students and
the community.
Sister Bernadette and Principal Barbara Dalmut cut the
ceremonial ribbon. Eagle Scout candidate Ben Dean read from
Genesis before Father Charles Smith, parochial vicar, walked
through the garden and blessed the crops and garden club
members with holy water.
The garden was Dean’s Eagle Scout project. He’s a junior at
W.T. Woodson High School in Fairfax and a parishioner of St.
Ambrose Church. He also graduated from St. Ambrose School.
“I knew they wanted a garden, and I wanted to give something
back. I love the school,” he said.
With the help of a $4,000 grant from the Birk Family
Foundation, planning for the project began last fall.
Fourth-grade teacher Cathy Park was the sponsor, and parent
Mike Thieman acted as the architect and handled the technical
aspects and installation of the project. He also installed
the deer fence and the irrigation system. Dean and some
friends labored to prepare the area, build beds, set foot
path rocks and place the fence posts. The students planted
the seeds.
The garden measures roughly 30 feet by 40 feet and slopes
down a hill. It will produce lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers,
radishes, kale, chard, potatoes and horseradish among other
vegetables. The garden also will yield flowers like lavender
and marigolds. Aromatic herbs like rosemary, basil, parsley
and cilantro will be used to keep deer from feasting on the
young plants and insects from destroying them.
Thieman said the first crops to be harvested will be lettuce
and tomatoes, and that should begin in July. He expects to
harvest about 100 pounds of tomatoes before the growing
season ends.
Only organic fertilizers like worm castings are used. The
digital irrigation system, powered by solar panels, is
programmed to turn on and off four times a day. Water will
flow through soaker hoses positioned in the vegetable beds.
The garden will produce food and income. Plans call for
selling the produce after Sunday Masses and using the income
to help local food pantries and shelters, including the
Katherine K. Hanley Family Shelter and Christ House in
Alexandria. Excess produce will be given to shelters. The
income also will help keep the garden self-sufficient.
The garden is a huge commitment for the garden club members.
The students signed a contract with their parents
acknowledging the commitment and responsibility required.
That commitment includes coming in over summer break to tend
the garden.
“Hopefully the lettuce and tomatoes will grow quickly and
abundantly so we can get something to everyone,” said
Thieman.
Borowski can be reached at [email protected]
or on Twitter @DBorowskiACH.
