Downtown Project - School Garden

This project makes my bone marrow quiver with passion. I am a proud graduate of Las Vegas Academy, with memories of cooking an authentic German feast in the church’s kitchen to experiencing my first kiss by the tree under the stained glass windows. A decade later, I am deep in pursuit of connecting my love for children and gardening. When I learned about this project, I felt the horn of Neptune echo through my blood. (If my overt metaphors are making you uncomfortable, just please understand that I’m trying to convey falling in love with a possibility.) I was equally excited to bring my fellow permaculture teacher and friend, Cindy, in on the project. I love her brain and am always looking for an excuse to bask in her brainstorm. This project seemed to embody what Cindy and I have spent countless hours chewing on pencils over. How are we going to get schools to love gardens as much as we do?

So far as I understand, this will be a private charter school beginning with 0-5 years, each year adding a grade. The students will mostly come from working families, primarily those that work with Downtown Project’s sugar daddy, Zappos. The goal is to create a very hands-on curriculum centered on a garden that feeds the students and their families with an after school program designed to cook hot meals to take home and, occasionally, a community dinner at the soon to be events center, the former church.

Cindy and I met up with the established team of directors and planners at the site of the future charter school last Thursday. We both took time off from work, driving from our suburban homes, and arrived eager to discuss with pads and pencils ready to go. Ideas were flying out of my mouth, unedited and unbridled in enthusiasm.

• Start a compost bin, this way you spread interest in the school garden and community center by getting the LVA kids involved through a Foodie/Garden Club and even the neighbors (you know, the people that live right across the street), and at the same time generate a source of nutrition for the soil that will in turn nurture the community.
• Contact Nevada Fish and Wildlife and the local Tortoise Rescue Group and designate part of the garden space to native flora and fauna, making a connection for inner city kids and adults between the importance of preserving wild spaces and our local food heritage.
• Promote water harvesting within the soil so families learn easy and applicable ways of honoring this valuable and essential desert resource. 

We were given a quick tour of the outer perimeter painting a picture of what was already designed in the plans. At the mention of turf, a small sigh wriggled between my clinched lips. At this point, I got the impression that my input was more like a slip of paper in the suggestion box. Please believe, I do not mean to discredit that at all. A suggestion box is important because at least the opportunity to provide input exists, right? Realistically, I felt that this beautiful opportunity has already set sail with a boat full of movers and shakers. Bon voyage and god speed! I’ll be there to smash the champagne bottle and wave. Time to start building my own boat.  

On a note regarding local activism,

A friend posted on his blog today, a very overwhelmed and poorly edited post, lamenting about the state of local activism in Vegas. Frankly, I'm tired of people talking about the need for change. It's all around us! Las Vegas clearly has its sins, but I couldn't be prouder of my city. In the ten years since I've graduated from OG Las Vegas High, downtown has erupted in culture. This can only be accredited to neighbors, community leaders, and Las Vegas's very own breed of local. This perception that many local activists subscribe to limits possibilty. Small changes deserve attention too. Yeah, you know what, I'm overwhelmed too. Everytime I see a dog running around the neighborhood with no one to love him or remember the Texas sized trash pile in the Pacific or read yet another headline about how our Federal government continues to favor the ever-failing dollar over humanity by silently slipping legislation through to support GMOs in our food, I feel like this is all too big for me to fight. And I'm right. What's no too big for me, Jessica Penrod, to fight, is ingratitude, societal barries of what I'm supposed to do in relationships/career/finances, and squash bugs (though they remain invincible, I persist). All I'm saying is, people, open your heart and your lovely eyes and look out and appreciate the beautiful and small things that make this town a beautiful and small place to live. Can't see it? I know plenty of beach towns that are easier on the eye about 4-5 hours west. Take plenty of water and send me a postcard of your journeys. May you find that beautiful place you wish you lived in. May your heart and eyes open to recognize it, otherwise you'll be looking for a long time.

Planting the Seeds of Intention

Lately, while watching bees stumble around the compost bin at the garden, I've felt this complete serenity and explicit joy, it almost brings me to tears. Most of the visuals that occur as I meditate are in relation to a garden, worms and seeds buried in the soil brimming with possibilities. The image of growing hops and wheat gave a shudder in my spine. I could feel my great-grandma sitting on me, insisting I locate her hollyhock seeds and preserve my seed heritage. Potatoes for abundance, sunflowers for wisdom. A teepee of sugarsnap peas and morning glories, grape arbors. And bees!

The Trees

What I miss the most about Federal Street...

Homebrew is America

I'm finding that I need to redefine patriotism for myself. Perhaps, I seek a connection with a larger cultural web of ancestors and traditions. Or, maybe it's the 10 year reunion of 9-11. As a 10 year old in rural Oklahoma, I staged my own Fourth of July parade with wagons, my little sister, and Disney the Dalmatian. Now, I am wondering where that connection was lost or if it was ever there.

To begin, patriot comes from the Ancient Greek word pater, meaning father. I share the same sentiment as Amanda in Another Roadside Attraction, "No more father figures! No more."

The connection I feel with America's culture is through the autonomy of apron strings and the abundance of warm apple pie. Thus, quitting my blue-collar job is patriotic. Here are 3 reasons why:

1. I am embracing the idea/concept that the place that I am in now is the best place I've got

2. This place that I'm in is America, a land abundant in freedom of choice which always leads to consequences. Consequences lead to creation, the opportunity for autonomy.

3. I am choosing to own that freedom and to create my life, my work, my joy.

Labor Day was originally conceived in 1894 as a national holiday consisting of a parade to exhibit the "strength and espirit de corps of the labor organizations" followed by a festival for the laborers and their families (thanks Wiki for the info). Instead of attending the local parade (was there one?), I bottled beer to celebrate this great holiday of Labor. This is the beer that I brewed in my kitchen at Federal four days before moving out. Tonight, while admiring the wealth of freshly bottled homebrew in my new kitchen, I understood why I was so insanely compelled to start this batch before moving. It began at the end of Federal Street and ended at the beginning of Sellers Place, spanning the changes that occupy that time and space of the summer of 2011. This beer is the bridge over my summer.

And now, America's Godfather of Brew, Samuel Adams, "Driven from every other corner of the earth, freedom of thought and the right of private judgment in matters of conscience, direct their course to this happy country as their last asylum."

We interrupt this program for a brief message from our sponsors...Teachers

Tomorrow morning marks the first First Day of School that I will be sipping coffee in pajamas. Sure, my stomach will be tied in the same old knots (first day jitters?) but not for the same reason. See, tomorrow marks my first day on the job of Me. I am my own Boss, and from what I know about Boss Jessica, it's not going to be easy. I just jumped off the 10 year investment I made in the education system as a public school teacher. 5 years as a student at UNLV, devoting hours weekly to volunteering and working as a substitute at schools around the Las Vegas Valley. 5 years as Ms. Penrod with fifth graders, second graders, and kindergarteners building gardens, hatching butterflies, and reading books.

Here's a little prayer for all of my friends at Morrow ES. May tomorrow be full of sharp pencils, bright smiles, and fresh nametags. Thank you for being the strength in our childrens' lives.

This evening's special...

Curry orzo stuffed green bell peppers

Beets, 1 turnip, 2 yellow summer squashes, seasoned with garam masala

Yogurt and Ginger Mango Chutney stuffed mushrooms.

All roasted.

Accompanied by a glass of Basque wine.

Kitchen inspiration brought on by a poem I read to my students today called Jessica Jane