August 14, 2009

This is day forty-four of my research assistant role of the Youth Garden Project. Today's location was at Magnolia Nursing Home and Campus Technology Wilcox B.

Well, it's getting closer to the end stages of the Youth Garden Project and thus my duties as a research assistant will shortly be retired. However in the gloom of the steady approaching end we manage to hold everything together and stay on top of what matters and the values of this program. Such value is knowing that with a small idea and an even bigger self-determination and hardwork no goal is impossible.

On a side note, Morgan and I took a small road trip back to the nursing home to check on our green buddies. The plants are on schedule when it comes to their growth process. Soon the residents of the Nursing Home will be able to taste the labor and hardwork put into our green buddies. That will be a day to remember!

August 13, 2009

This is day forty-three of my research assistant role of the Youth Garden Project. Today's location was at Magnolia Nursing Home.

Morgan and I took a road-trip over to Magnolia Nusing Home again today to discuss with the recreational director our volunteer schedules and procedures with the residents there.

FYI: I don't know that there had to be a TB skin test and orientation process needed before volunteering at a Nursing Home.

After we took care of the inside residential information, it was time to handle the outside garden and make sure the plants are provided all the necessary nutrients needed to survive in this Alabama weather.

August 12, 2009

This is day forty-two of my research assistant role of the Youth Garden Project. Today's location was at Magnolia Nursing Home.



Pictured Left: Bloomed flower in the raised garden bed at Magnolia Nursing Home

Morgan, Ashton, and I constructed three raised garden beds in place in the rear at Magnolia Nursing Home located in Tuskegee, Alabama. Therefore, we visited the Home to make sure the flowers and vegetables are all doing wonderfully well; they are!


Raised garden beds are great for small plots of veggies and flowers. They keep pathway weeds from your garden soil, prevent soil compaction, provide good drainage and serve as a barrier to pests such as slugs and snails.By raising the soil level, raised beds also reduce back strain when bending over to tend the bed.

August 11, 2009

This is day forty-one of my research assistant role of the Youth Garden Project. Today's location was at Tuskegee University's Chambliss Building (old administration bldg) and garden field.

Ashton and I harvested Okra and Green Tomatoes from the field garden located on the rich soil of Tuskegee University. The initial task was to give Mr. Jackson some of the fresh, organic crops which was cultivated by the children of SafeHaven as well as us--the research assistants. We had an idea to use the popsicle stick basket I handmade to hold the vegetables to give them more of a gift basket type look.

You might be wondering, why Mr. Jackson? Well, Mr. Jackson has helped us as research assistants through-out this entire program as well as some other wonderful individuals in the Agriculture Department. It's many individuals who work behind-the-scences to allow us--research assistants--to idealize, perform, and complete the various tasks in the Youth Garden Project.

August 10, 2009

This is day forty of my research assistant role of the Youth Garden Project. Today's location was at Tuskegee University's Chambliss Building (old administration bldg) and garden field.

Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) are annual plants native to the Americas, that possess a large inflorescence (flowering head). Sunflower stems can grow as high as 3m (10 ft), and the flower head can reach 30 cm (11.8 in) in diameter with large edible seeds. The term "sunflower" is also used to refer to all plants of the genus Helianthus, many of which are perennial plants.

Pictured Above: Sunflower plant before opening.

Ashton, Morgan, And I harvested some produce at the field garden and watered the crops at Magnolia Nursing Home.

Pictured Below: Sunflower plant after opening.

August 7, 2009

This is the thirty-ninth day of my research assistant role of the Youth Garden Project. Today's location was at Tuskegee University's field/garden and the Safe Haven housing unit.


Ashton and I started set-up work on garden boxes at SafeHaven housing unit as Mr. Tramell assisted. Approximatley, a week ago, Morgan, Ashton and I moved six of the gardening boxes from the greenhouse to the SafeHaven housing unit as a solution to SafeHaven's transportation issue.

This solution will help allevate the inconvenience of trying to transport the children to Tuskegee University's Greenhouse every gardening day on time.

August 6, 2009

This is the thirty-eighth day of my research assistant role of the Youth Garden Project. Today's location was at Tuskegee University's Chambliss Building (old administration bldg)and Greenhouse/Field Garden.

I completed a popsicle stick basket with top cover. In 1905, the Popsicle was invented by an eleven-year-old Frank Epperson. Frank Epperson was only 11 years old when he invented the originally named Epsicle. He had left his fruit flavored soda outside on the porch with a stir stick in it. The drink froze to the stick and tasted good. It took 18 more years in 1923 for Epperson to apply for a patent for a "frozen ice on a stick" called the Epsicle ice pop, which his children re-named the Popsicle.

In 1925, Frank Epperson sold his famous Popsicle to the Joe Lowe Company of New York. Good Humor now owns the rights to the Popsicle.

Twin Popsicles (two popsicles sticks together) were invented during the Great Depression.
Popsicle sticks were first made from Birch wood.