Over 300 Middle and Lower School students and faculty members, supported by the grounds crew, accomplished an astonishing amount of campus stewardship on Friday afternoon, April 26th, to celebrate Earth Day. In only an hour and a half we collectively:
- planted 45 native hickory, white, and black oak whips (baby trees) in deer-proof cages in lake road woods
- planted 1 large native Shadbush Serviceberry by the Middle School herb garden
- planted 2 large native Autumn Brilliance Serviceberries and 3 native Winterberries in Lower School habitat garden
- planted 3 large crab apples by Athletic Center parking lot
- planted 2 large native red oaks by tennis courts
- cleaned out the Lower School habitat garden, medicine wheel garden, and vegetable beds
- cleared beds and planted more native flowering perennials by Middle School
- cleared beds and planted new herbs in the herb garden
- planted several flats of flowers and vegetables at the mini-farm
- planted onions at Pete’s Farm
- pulled out invasive cattails and multi-flora rose by the tennis courts and invasive Pachysandra from the lake road woods
- dredged the frog pond
Many Lower School groups also took photos, rubbings, did scavenger hunts and spent time outside enjoying nature.
Ah, spring! Planting at the student farm is in full swing, with a wonderful twist this year. Thanks to generous support from the Cooper Fund and the John Baird Sustainability Fund, Westtown was able to purchase a BCS walk-behind tractor, with plow and tiller attachments. Small market farmers around the world sing the praises of this versatile, elegant machine, which makes plowing under cover crops and shaping raised beds a snap.
