Urban garden in Baltimore yields lessons, lettuce for students

August 11, 2:46 PMBaltimore Private Schools ExaminerMeredith Bower

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Photo credit: Cardinal Shehan School

Watch out Michelle Obama! The middle school students at Baltimore’s Cardinal Shehan School have established a Majestic Garden fit for a king (or a president).

The project began in the spring of 2008 as a partnership between the 3rd grade students, their teacher, experts from the Food & Faith Program of the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future, and St. Matthew’s Catholic Church Outreach Ministry.

“The students planted starter herbs and peas in the classroom which they transplanted into the garden in March, 2008,” explains Paula L. Redman, Principal. “They helped prepare the soil and cultivate the crops. Many more crops were planted and the first Majestic Garden became a living classroom to understand the lifecycle of plants, organic gardening, composting, and the lessons of sustainability.” 

Photo credit: Cardinal Shehan School

This past school year, the middle school students and their teacher got involved and helped build rain barrels and plant a rain garden. The group also built raised beds and a salad table. They report a bumper crop of pumpkins, corn, beans, squash, cucumbers, potatoes, herbs, chard, radishes, carrots, peas, beans, arugula, tomatoes, tomatoes and more tomatoes!

The students at Cardinal Shehan School, a Catholic elementary school in northeast Baltimore, on the campus of St. Matthew Church, have received rave reviews from the University of Maryland Cooperative Extension Service, Urban Agriculture Educator. “Last year when he saw our garden he was amazed and delighted by the abundance of produce,” said Principal Redman. “This year, we have 4-5 times as much on the same amount of land.”  

Photo credit: Cardinal Shehan School

Future plans for the school’s urban garden include planting a canopy and fruit trees in the fall. Additionally, thanks to the help of a parent, the students are looking forward to having a produce stand.

And, what to do with all those tomatoes? The students are preparing a spaghetti and salad lunch for the entire school made with produce from the garden!