Apples. Apples, Apples!

"Mmm!", "Wow, that's sour!" and "That's my blue-ribbon favorite" were just a few of the comments heard as students sampled a variety of local apples during Wednesday's lunch block. Students in grades one through three lined the length of the hallway, eager to sample (and sample again!) the tasty treats. "This is the best apple I've ever eaten" said one third grader. Students seemed to favor the Honeycrisp, Cortland and Fuji varieties while the staff enjoyed the Blue Pearman. "It's a mix of sweet and sour and it's crunchy too" commented third grade teacher, Rachel Wendell, as she headed back to her classroom after supervising third grade lunch. An apple for the teacher too? How appropriate. The apples came from McDougal"s Orchards in Springvale, Maine and were left over from Central School's School Garden Open House.

Principal Vicki Stewart slices and dices.

Students think about how they would describe each apple's taste.

How did it taste? Students keep track using tally marks.

First School Garden Open House A Hit

Today's open house was a feast for the senses- the smell of the moist plants in the hoop house, the taste of apples (12 varieties!), the bleating of the sheep and soft neighs of the ponies, feeling the wool as it was worked into a ball, the sight of families as they built their own scarecrows. I learned about invasive insects, that the apples on our tree ARE edible (!), how to make felted wool, how to grow giant pumpkins and that my favorite kind of apple is blue pearman. I saw children and adults reach out to touch (and climb upon) a 900 lb pumpkin. I saw a miniature pony munch on wildflowers. I saw children carefully placing pieces of tissue paper on plastic lanterns. It was a wonderful day. Thank you to all of you who made it possible, especially:

Central PTO
Pauliina Pope
SoBo Central
University of Maine Cooperative Extension
Denise Trabold
Kris Bisson and her Girl Scout Troop
Sally Gilbride
Terrence Parker
Kathy Gunst
Maine Dept. of Agriculture
Leigh Robinson
Carla Swasey
Full Circle Thrift Store
Bill and Gretchen Straub "The Pumpkin Lady"
McDougal Orchards
Marshwood Education Foundation
The Works Health and Fitness Center
Hilltop Fun Center
Our many, many volunteers!

If you missed today's Open House, you can catch us at the Quarkfest, October 9th at the Brookford Farm in Rollinsford, NH.