edible schoolyard

I took the kids to the Edible Schoolyard today. It's a place I've always wanted to visit and I finally decided that today was the day! I can't say how happy I am that I finally got to see exactly what the place looks like.

I felt like I was walking in my dream garden, on a much larger scale. There were edible plantings of all kinds: corn, cucumbers, tomatoes, pumpkins, squash, amaranth...a gorgeous bounty of summer fruits and veggies, with a few surprises thrown in, like cape gooseberries. There were many fruiting trees, including apples, pears, and figs. Where we spent most of our time, though, was at the chicken coop.

We sat outside, in the shade, just watching. We used to have chickens years ago, when we lived in Bolinas. Sitting there today, watching the lively pack of hens, I realized how much I actually missed having them around. We've talked about getting chickens again, but still have not put forth the effort in making a home for them in our garden. We got sidetracked by the idea of beekeeping, among other things! At any rate, being at the Edible Schoolyard aroused my desire for chickens yet again. Without them, an urban farm is not complete! I'm hoping by this time next year, I'll be happily scrambling eggs hatched by my own feathered friends and teaching my kids the joys of poultry husbandry.