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Environmental Science Returns to Crabtree Farms

The class enjoys first field trip this school year
Last week Dr. Brandon Noel's environmental science class ventured to Crabtree Farms for the class's first field trip of the academic year, marking the first school visitors of 2021 for Crabtree. The excursion presented a multitude of learning opportunities for the girls.
 
To begin with, the trip provided an outright orientation with some background information and history behind the farm, including the farm's mission and how Crabtree contributes to its community as an urban garden. 

Then the girls were able to tour the facility, looking at the variety of ways the farm grows plants—from seed and hardening them off to planting directly into soil on the farm. 
 
"There are multiple stages one seedling could go through before being planted in the ground," says Dr. Noel. "Humidity and light chamber, warmer greenhouse, cooler greenhouse, and then eventual transplant into the ground on the farm." 
 
Students also learned a variety of weeding techniques and tools. (See photos) "The girls learned how even rocks can be 'weeds' because they serve as impediments to the root establishment," Dr. Noel says.
 
Before departing for GPS, everyone gathered in a circle and shared their names and then offered one word to describe their day and one takeaway from their experience. 
 
Later this month, the girls will return to discuss soil chemistry, composting, and thinning of plants. 
 
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