The GMS Garden
Established in 2002, the GMS garden has grown from a loosely organized community garden to a full-fledged school and community garden that provides: enrichment programming for GMS students; fresh vegetables for the GMS kitchen; fresh vegetables for sale at the Silver City Farmer's Market; community workshops and events; and volunteer and internship opportunities for youth and adults.
The GMS garden has a 10' x 50' greenhouse in our upper garden, as well as a chicken coop and a medicinal herb garden.
Feel free to come by the school to check out our project or follow us on Facebook and Instagram to learn more! The GMS garden staff participates in a variety of community outreach activities, including Earth Day and the Silver City's Farmers Market.
Kids in the garden
Each GMS classroom has In The Garden enrichment experiences and activities tailored to the age and developmental level of the children.
Toddler Students
GMS toddler students enjoy exploratory nature walks through the garden, sampling the garden's bounty, smelling fragrant flowers and herbs, and digging in the digging area. Garden staff helps choose and install safe, fun and interesting plants in the toddler play area, enabling further observation and interaction with the natural world.
Primary Students
GMS Primary students come out to the garden every week as the weather permits and work with a variety of tools and materials designed to build basic gardening skills and coordination as well as an understanding of natural and ecological concepts. Students are encouraged to explore the garden environment, experiencing a variety of tastes, smells, textures; and enjoying the many interesting things to see! Extended day students use the garden to further explore the botany work they are doing in the classroom.
Elementary Students
GMS elementary students visit the garden on a weekly basis with their respective classes for project oriented work including planting, weeding, harvesting, caring for the chickens, and fencing and building projects. Besides helping with the care and maintenance of the garden and chickens, students are encouraged to develop and execute their own projects and experiments in the garden. The elementary children regularly incorporate garden resources into their classroom science and art projects.