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The Gift that Keeps Growing
We are so excited for the apple tree that has been planted for Peterstown Community Center!
Apple trees can live for fifty to one-hundred years or more when well cared for. The young trees will need regular care, including watering and monitoring, to help them grow strong and healthy. We look forward to watching them flourish over the years, serving as a lasting reminder of what can be accomplished when a community works together toward a common goal!
Elizabethport Community Center
One of several Prevention Links locations! This community came together for a meaningful tree planting event, demonstrating how small actions can make a lasting difference. This event was more than just planting trees – it was about building connections within the community space.
Awarded an Apple tree, this wonderful group of people worked together to share knowledge, encourage one another and celebrate their collective effort to care for the environment!
Einstein’s Outdoor Classroom
Dr. Albert Einstein students were able to learn about why trees are so important. They provide shade, produce oxygen, create habitats for wildlife, and help keep our environment clean!
This year, the students were awarded Cherry trees! Did you know that it can take a cherry tree three to seven years to produce a significant harvest after planting? Most cherries are harvested during late spring and early summer, depending on the climate they are in. We are very excited to see how this cherry tree will grow!
It’s a jungle out there! This garden has taken off with reckless abandon. As we wind down the year, our garden is just getting started. Soon we’ll see the shoots and buds that turn into fruits and vegetables. We won’t be here to harvest them, but hopefully people will grab whatever looks tasty.
As we approached the end of the winter months, our teachers and students began preparing the school garden for the upcoming growing season. Even with the colder weather, our school community stayed committed to caring for our outdoor learning space. Students helped clear leaves, remove debris, refresh the soil, and tidy up the raised beds to ensure everything was ready for spring planting.
This early season cleanup gave students hands on experience with garden maintenance while reinforcing teamwork, responsibility, and environmental stewardship. Teachers guided students through identifying winter damage, turning the soil, and learning why preparation is essential for a healthy garden.
We started our garden plants in seed snails and in hydroponics units. We transplanted tomatoes, peppers, watermelon, basil, and string beans into our garden.
We also planted cucumber seeds and have been harvesting chive blossoms, chives, and snap peas. We used our beautiful purple chives to make delicious chive blossom butter which we enjoyed on french baguette. Yum!
We have a few ladybugs lingering in our garden, which were released by our preschool students at the end of their ladybug lifecycle study.
We are excited to share that during the 2025–2026 school year, our school has expanded our existing vegetable garden thanks to the 2025 Kids Dig In Grant. In partnership with Groundwork Elizabeth and the Union County Board of Commissioners, we added a new raised planting bed along with soil, seeds, tools, and additional materials provided through Groundwork Elizabeth’s garden program.
Our students worked alongside Groundwork Elizabeth staff and Union County Commissioner Stanley J. Neron on planting day, actively participating in growing fresh vegetables. We are proud to continue donating a portion of our harvest to the community, strengthening our connection and giving back to those around us.
Our garden continues to enhance our school environment while providing hands-on learning experiences that promote teamwork, environmental responsibility, and healthy habits. We look forward to another successful growing season and sharing our harvest with the community.
The Art of the Garden Bed
The students carefully placed each plant into the soil, making sure to leave enough space between them so they will have room to grow.
They then watered the garden bed to give the plants a good start to grow! We know that we won’t see results overnight, but we are excited to watch the tiny sprouts grow into the plants and flowers they will bloom into!
Eagle Nest Community Garden
Orcas are the second most popular plants that are being grown in gardens this year. Orcas can refer to two kinds, the first being the ‘Agave Ovatifolia.’ This plant is known for its frosty blue-grey leaves and wide yellow margins and can grow up to 2 feet tall!
The second is the ‘Venus Flytrap CCCP.’ This carnivorous plant is known for its deep traps and lacy dentition along the edges. Be on the lookout for these plants!
Eagle’s Nest
Today was another exciting day at Elmora School No. 12 – they were awarded an ADA Garden Bed! We saw this group of students work as a team and saw how their hard work paid off!
This garden is becoming greener and more beautiful each week. We are excited to see it grow! Continue to make new discoveries about your garden! We look forward to coming back next year 😊
