Novato Charter's Enchanted Garden: The Little School Garden That Could

Chug, chug, chug goes the Little Engine in the popular children’s story; "I think I can, I think I can," his mantra when facing seemingly impossible odds to make the grade and get the job done.

So it has been from the beginning at Novato Charter when a dedicated group of visionary parents faced an uphill climb to establish an alternative choice school. 

Since the school's inception in 1996, countless volunteer hours have been spent making the dream a reality: erecting a sustainable campus featuring solar-powered buildings, designing and installing drought-tolerant landscaping, and creating an interactive learning environment where nature and conservation play key roles in the curriculum.

The result: a flourishing campus presently serving 247 students grades K-8th with a signature school garden that is a model of excellence for other schools in Novato and beyond. There's no doubt about it, those associated with Novato Charter are trail-blazers.

The Enchanted Garden, as it is aptly named, is arguably the crown jewel of school gardens in our community--the result of forward-thinking parents whose can-do spirit turned barren, abused, hard-scrabble land into a flourishing organic mecca enjoyed by students and community alike. The goal: to instill a deep appreciation for living in harmony with nature, and a sense of life-long stewardship for the environment.

The half-acre garden is composed of various micro-habitats connected by winding natural paths that invite wandering and exploration. Various fruit and native trees dot the landscape, while an "owl box" provides refuge for these birds of prey; their presence, in turn, keeping the resident gopher population in check. To the rear a beautiful open-air outdoor classroom structure provides space for groups to congregate. Beyond that lies the school's compost pile.

Everyday, students at Novato Charter spend class and free-time in the garden. Here, amid the flourishing organic ecosystems, teachers encourage children to observe the natural world in action. Lessons learned in the garden support curriculum in math, science, art, and ecology with all grade levels playing a role in tending, nurturing, and harvesting the space.

Younger students plant butterfly beds to encourage pollinators, gather scraps from each classroom for the compost bin, and care for the school's chickens which occupy a coop adjacent to the garden. Fifth graders complete a native plant unit to compliment their study of California History. By the time students reach middle school, they are learning about elements of landscape design, soil science, rain-water catchment, and the delicate balance of ecosystems. 

In spring and fall, the school hosts a farmers' market for their parent community featuring organic produce and eggs harvested from the garden. Proceeds raised from market sales are ear-marked for annual garden enhancements and maintenance.

My friend Kirsten Neff and her husband Sam are valued members of Novato Charter's parent community, and were involved in the grass-roots movement to form the school. Their two oldest daughters have already graduated from the program, with youngest son A.J. currently finishing his 5th grade year.

Today, Kirsten takes me on a campus tour and invites me to observe the lesson she is teaching in the garden's outdoor classroom. The topic: "real food." 

I arrive to find thirteen wiggly 5th graders gathered at a long wooden bench table in the covered open-air space. Close by, another table showcases bowls of prepared "real foods": radicchio, toasted kale chips, baked sweet potato, shredded beets, cauliflower, and lemon wedges. A poster board, tacked to the wall behind, lists categories labeled green, red, white, orange & yellow, purple & blue. 

Kirsten stands at the head of the table, armed with a copy of author Michael Pollan's "Food Rules"--sixty-four guidelines for making good food choices. She begins by posing the question, "What is real food?" Hands shoot up around the table. "It's real food if you recognize it," chirps one observant young lady. "It can go bad," says another and the discussion is off and running. The kids particularly relate to rules like: "Don't eat anything with ingredients a third grader can't pronounce," and "If it came from a plant, eat it; if it's made in a plant, don't."

Today's lesson focuses on rule #25: eat your colors! Ideally, Neff explains, a healthy plate of food features several colors. The children are asked to think of foods they can name under each color category. An enthusiastic exchange ensues and the poster board quickly fills with lists of fruits and veggies.

Putting theory into action, the students are given plates and invited to taste the various real food offerings presented on the adjacent table. They crowd around the bowls, taking a small serving of each colored vegetable, surprisingly adventurous in their willingness to sample. The clear winner? The roasted kale chips hands-down. Some kids even go back for second helpings! 

As they nosh, Neff delivers an animated reading of "Westlandia"--a story by author Paul Fleischman about a socially outcast boy named Wesley who creates his own sustainable civilization, winning friends with his individuality and resourcefulness in the process. The kids, engaged in the story and their "real food" snacks, listen attentively. Soon they will take their plates out back to the compost pile, scraping any remaining bits onto the heap that is already becoming nutrient-rich soil for the garden.

I remain long after the students have returned to their classrooms, sitting in the stillness, listening to the wild birds and the chickens in the nearby coop. It is gratifying to watch the kernels of stewardship, planted daily in this dynamic garden, sprout and grow in the next generation.

I am reminded as I survey the lush landscape around me that when you dream big and react with dedication, vision, and tenacity, you can accomplish great things. The kids at Novato Charter will return to this enchanted place again and again; marking the seasons of their precious school years in this garden--a lasting symbol that demonstrates: when you think you can--you can!

Novato Charter School wishes to thank co-directors Rachael Bishop and Jeffrey Erkelens for their dedication and unyielding support of the Enchanted Garden project, the parent volunteers who work tirelessly behind the scenes, the teachers who embrace the garden as a tool and resource, and the following businesses for their contributions: Sonoma Compost, Bloom Nursery, Baker Creek Seeds, California Bay Nursery, Sloat Garden Center, Stubbs Vineyard, the Chez Panisse Foundation, and the Whole Foods Foundation.