The Wilson Project
In 2010, Native Roots Market adopted Wilson Elementary School as a part of the Chamber of Commerce's Business and Education program. We meet with the Principal, Counselor, and some dedicated teachers and asked them about their needs and desires. We also we given a grand tour of the school and discovered some unique features, including nine raised beds, an imagination rock garden, and an outdoor classroom with a pond. Though in need of some repair and maintenance, these outdoor features intrigued us and we started dreaming....this is where the Wilson project begins.
Coming Soon! Check back soon for Wilson Garden Blog with progress reports and awesome photos from the Garden!
How can I get involved?
- Volunteer: anyone can help out on scheduled garden work days. Additonally, we could use help with lesson planning and activities, so anyone with an expertise in gardening, horticulture, culinary arts, conservation, native plants, landscaping, would be very useful.
- Donate money or supplies
- Help with grant-writing and fundraising
To get involved, please contact sara@nativerootsmarket.com
Materials Needed
- kid-sized garden gloves
- garden tools (shovels, trowels, rakes, hoes, etc)
- watering wand
- watering cans
- plant markers
- twine
- compost
- worms & worm bin for vermiculture
- seeds or seedlings
- trellis materials or tomatoes cages
- composting bin
- tool shed
Historic Downtown
SE Corner of Main & Santa Fe
Norman, OK 73069
Phone: 405.310.6300
Sunday - 11am-7pm
The Wilson Garden
The first project we started at Wilson Elementary School was the fall vegetable garden in the Fall of 2010. Nine raised beds (approximately 3' by 8') had been built many years ago by a group of Boy Scouts and had been planted with a butterfly garden. Though a handful of teachers still maintained some of the beds, most were overgrown with weeds.
Inspired by Alice Water's Edible Schoolyard, we decided to plant a fall vegetable garden. We didn't really have much of a plan or really have any idea what we were doing, but we selected a Sunday in late September and invited volunteers to come out and dig in! About 15 folks came out that first day and we weeded, turned the soil and planted a variety of fall crops. Everything from radishes, lettuce, onions, broccoli, turnips, kale, kohlrabi, bok choy, etc. We planted 3 of the knarliest beds with cover crops (winter wheat, austrian peas, and red clover) to help improve the soil.
Check out the Wilson Garden Blog for updates and photos from the garden!