When NEST time rolls around on Tuesdays and Thursdays, the Garden Club heads on over to M124.  The Garden Club was started four years ago with the purpose of increasing students’ awareness of where and how their food comes to their table. Another objective is teaching students the process of cultivating plants from seed to harvest and how to use organic methods to ensure the health of the food and the environment.

A normal day for the club members includes occasionally meeting in the greenhouse or outside by the garden boxes off of the cafeteria’s outdoor dining area. The club grows a variety of vegetables, flowering plants and herbs including parsley, thyme and lavender. This year, the club hopes to plant more perennial plants in the garden boxes and grow fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers in the greenhouse over the course of the winter.

Members of the club can expect to get a little dirty; they are responsible for maintaining the garden, including weeding, watering, and tending the beds.

However, not everything about the club is hard work. The members hope to go on field trips to various local farms and Mt. Vernon. Additionally, they hope to have a few guest speakers come in and talk about garden related topics.

“Ms. DeVeny and I really enjoy sharing our love of the outdoors with the students here at North Point,” commented Ms. Centivany, one of the two sponsors. “It is very satisfying teaching a new group of young people how easy it is to grow your own food and make your environment more beautiful at the same time.”

One does not need a green thumb to join Garden Club, just a bit of hard work and effort can open doors to one of the most engaging clubs at North Point.