The Rhode Island Street/School #30 Community Garden is well into its fourth gardening season. Members of Urban Roots Education Committee garden with students from Mr. Hann’s first grade class at Buffalo Public School #30, a school in our neighborhood. During the past three years, the students have tended a garden in a lot on Rhode Island Street. This year, while our raised beds are undergoing some remodeling, the students are trying their hand at container gardening at Urban Roots. The back fence area has been transformed into a container vegetable garden and includes large barrels and three different sized raised beds made from purchased (from Urban Roots) and recycled materials.

This spring, students visited the garden once or twice a week to plant, weed, and water their seedlings. Along with their large containers and raised beds, the children each planted two small containers of vegetables to take home and share with their families. A special thank you goes out to Grassroots Gardens of Buffalo and Urban Roots for donating seeds and plant material for the community garden.

The garden is a wonderful teacher. In addition to basic gardening concepts, literacy and math skills, the students also learn the importance of cooperation, patience, working as a team, and responsibility to the environment, each other, and their community.