GREENFIELD — Originally located on a 12-by-12-foot plot of land, the garden behind Leyden Woods Apartments that is maintained by a core group of English-as-a-second-language students and their families has tripled in size since last year.
The project, started by Federal Street School teacher Karen Malley, has been a way for students to learn English by way of learning about gardening. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, put a damper on Malley’s original plans for the garden, given that shortly after supplies were purchased, schools closed.
Still, a core group of families has worked to maintain the garden atop the hill behind the Leyden Woods office. Last year, the group tilled the plot by hand, planted seeds and waited to see what would happen.
“The kids feel happy when they’re working here in the garden,” said Iris Romero, whose children have been engaged in the project since shortly after arriving in Greenfield from El Salvador in February.
Aidin Martínez, watching as her son, José Colón Martínez, 10, ran back and forth between the water barrel and the plant beds, added that she has noticed an increase in the children’s confidence in speaking English, thanks to Malley’s gardening project.
This year, Malley secured $1,000 in grant money from the Linda Shulman Innovation Fund, which helps to support the creative projects of English-as-a-second-language (ESL) teachers, and an additional $1,500 in Title I funds from the Greenfield School Department. The money, she said, allowed her to grow the size and quality of the garden.
“It paid for lumber and dirt and wood chips, and a rain barrel,” she said, adding that the mothers also get a stipend for their help. “I was glad we could triple it in size.”
Malley also acknowledged the staff at Just Roots who helped to build the plant beds this year, and the seedling donations she received from Tom Ashley at Dancing Bear Farm in Leyden and from staff at the Federal Street School.
“I’m really pleased by the way it is,” she said.
The students, about five of whom (including José) are actively involved, have planted onions, garlic, sweet and hot peppers, and zucchini. These vegetables are used in many Puerto Rican and Salvadoran dishes, where Martínez and Romero are from, respectively.
In May, Malley organized a small event at the garden for outreach. Children helped to fill the plant beds with fresh soil, she said.
“The kids really loved using the shovels and getting dirty,” Malley recalled. “I thought, ‘Will a bunch of kids be able to finish it?’ And they did.”
José, who is about to enter fifth grade, said his favorite part about the garden is making the holes to put the seeds.
“I planted that sunflower,” he said, motioning excitedly toward one of the sunflowers in the plant bed next to him. “It was small, and now it’s big.”
The 10-year-old said during the pandemic, he has enjoyed working in the garden.
“I don’t have to be stuck inside all day,” he said, crouched down by the rain barrel, demonstrating how he uses it to fill up the watering can to then water the garden.
Malley said she hopes to do more outreach this year, and to help grow the project. She certainly already has the support of Romero, who is hoping to add watermelons and corn to the garden.
“Before COVID, the plan was to do more phone calls and events,” Malley explained. “I’m trying to organize more events now that we can get together again.”
Ideally, she’d like to host another, similar planting event in October.
The gardening project at Leyden Woods is not only a place for the families to expand their English vocabulary, she added.
“We’re having more and more home-ESL speakers come to Greenfield,” Malley said. “It’s a nice way to show them the community.”
Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne