Muskego Elementary

La Center, WA

The Muskego Elementary Community Garden was a grassroots effort from the students at Muskego Elementary during the 2011-2012 school year.  Students spent that year learning about community and how they,  young citizens of Muskego Community, could help their community out.  At the conclusion of this school year the students brought up the idea of planting a garden and donating the vegetables to the Muskego Food Pantry.  Staff came together that summer to talk about how to make the students' vision a reality.  After talking with the Muskego Elementary Parent Teachers Organization (PTO) they were in favor of helping to raise money.  The PTO organized a walk-a-thon to raise money for the school.  They agreed to use a portion of what was raised to help with the cost of the garden.

In the fall of 2012 students found out that their idea would become a reality.  During all school assemblies throughout the year, with the help of Waukesha County Extension Program, we studied which vegetables and herbs would grow well in Wisconsin, which vegetables the Muskego Food Pantry were in need of, and also how to grow and care for each vegetable.  Students were divided up in various (K-4) groups to research two specific vegetables that were going to be planted.  They shared their new knowledge with the entire school by creating a video.  In the video students shared facts that they learned about the vegetables, how to care for them and how to harvest them.  They also learned which vegetables should not be planted next to each other, as well as which flowers would keep insects and creatures out of the garden boxes.  In the spring of 2013 all students and staff of Muskego Elementary participated in planting a variety of vegetables and herbs in our ten garden boxes.

Once the garden was planted, Muskego Elementary School families signed up to rotate their care throughout the summer months. With the help of parents many kindergarten through fourth grade students took charge of watering, weeding and harvesting the garden!  Fourth grade students who were moving on to the middle school chose to come back throughout the summer to help tend the garden.

Over the past two summers the Muskego Elementary Community Garden has been a success, raising more than a total of 422 pounds of vegetables for Muskego families!