Hazel Dell School and Community Garden Summer Program

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Last summer, I was watching an episode of Garden Time and saw the host interview Barbara Nordstrom at her Hazel Dell School and Community Garden.  I pointed at the TV and said, “I want to do that!”

Yesterday was the last day of the five class series with The Boys and Girls Club.  Every week, I looked forward to a new topic and volunteering with the kids in the garden.  Over the past five weeks, the students have enthusiastically  weeded, harvested crops, dead headed, and laid bark mulch on the pathways.  We had a blast!

The bee lesson was my favorite class because I watched kids transition from fear to a new smiling respect towards the busy little bees in the garden.  I picked flowers with a student as he happily recited the three body segments of a bee.  During snack time, Suzy, a volunteer, handed out edible nasturtium blossoms out of her garden plot.  I smiled as I watched the kids’ facial expressions of surprise at the peppery treat.  That wasn’t at all what they were expecting.  Aren’t flowers supposed to taste sweet?

Volunteering at the Hazel Dell School and Community Garden has been the highlight of my summer.  (You can read about it here and here.)  Sharing with the community is an important part of gardening.  Thank you Barbara Nordstrom and Bobbi Bellomy for creating such a wonderful program and garden. If you interested in learning more about the garden please visit here.  Please come join us in the garden!

Thyme Honey

I use this honey in my tea, to sweeten berries, and in my baking.  Lemon verbena also works great.

• 1/2 cup of honey
• 20 – 25 sprigs of lemon thyme or thyme

Place both ingredients in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium high heat then let cool.  Strain out the thyme.  Enjoy!