Boyle School students are now reaping the rewards of planting a community garden in May.
Tara Laroue said the school decided to plant the garden with the Boyle Betterment Committee.
She added the garden allowed the village to be involved with Communities in Bloom, which is a Canadian non-profit organization focusing on civic pride and environmental responsibility through community involvement.
"Over the summer, it was harvested a bit by the community, but since it’s so new it wasn’t used as much as I’d like to see it used," she said. "We’re going to do it again next year, and I’m really hoping that next year we see more people from the community come out and help harvest and take. Right now, a lot of what’s left – like all the potatoes and whatnot – will be used in our cafeteria and our foods room.”
Laroue also said while the garden is a good thing for the community, it's especially important for the students.
"It’s really important to know how to grow your own food, I think. I think it’s a good skill for them to have. Like something like potatoes, you can grow enough in the summer for all year,” she said. “Carrots, you can grow enough in the summer – I still have carrots in my freezer from last year. It’s not just good on the pocketbook for people. It’s a great skill.”
Students from Laroue's senior high leadership class planted the garden, which included raspberries, red, blush, and purple potatoes, zucchini, pattypan squash, cucumbers, beets, carrots, peas, beans, kale, lettuce, swiss chard, onions, leeks, spinach, marjoram, tarragon, curry, rosemary, and parsley.
She said her Grade 6 class from last year came back and did a lot of the weeding.
"This year, I’ll probably have the Grade 6 class more involved, because it’s part of their social curriculum to volunteer and be involved, so they’ll help with the rest of the harvesting,” she said.
