Hope in Gordon’s gardens

It’s been a wet, sunny, spectacular fall.

Gordon’s gardens have been busy.
 

Sixth graders have been stewarding the new garden on the corner of Hilltop and Maxfield.

Friday afternoon, they were out there placing new compost in the raised beds.
 

Further down the block, Young Kindergarten was in their garden.

They spread compost of their own, including some created by their classroom worms.
 

A few late tomatoes were available for harvest.

They also planted some garlic, an ideal late-season crop.

 

It’s not a farm. Not yet.

 

It’s not feeding the school. Not yet.

 

It’s not saving the planet. Not yet.

 

But Gordon’s gardens are giving students of all ages direct experience in caring for the earth.

 

They are stewarding the campus’s resources and, in turn, allowing the earth to nourish them back.

 

That’s a start, a hopeful sign at a time when we’re all looking for hope.

 

Later this month, Gordon will host the Beyond COP21 symposium, inviting dozens of students from local public and independent schools to campus for a day of workshops and hands-on learning dedicated to the battle against climate change. The night before, Beyond COP21 founder Peter Milne will give a public talk, Sustainability education: sharing a voice in our children’s future. It’s free and open to the public; details and RSVP are at www.gordonschool.org/cop21