(From Left: Mrs. Ormsby, Maestro Miguel, Mrs. Fallon-McKnight)

The Ashley Falls Garden Club is a five-day-a-week lunch club where students care for three key areas: the garden, Nathan Gordon’s memorial garden, and the Butterfly Way Station.

Our three amazing Garden Club teachers meet with students every day during lunchtime. Around 12:15 p.m., the students gather in the garden for a quick meeting before getting to work. They spend about 30 minutes watering, pulling weeds, maintaining the garden, replanting, and harvesting fresh fruits and vegetables. Then, on Fridays, Mrs. Fallon-McKnight cooks something delicious using that week’s harvest. Again...WOW!

It’s a hands-on, sustainable gardening experience where students prepare soil, plant seasonal crops, and enjoy cooking and eating their harvest, including kale Caesar salads, squash blossom ricotta, and more. 

Along the way, they learn plant identification, pest management, the importance of pollinators, and sustainable practices—all while cultivating a love for gardening and the environment. Beyond environmental stewardship, the Ashley Falls Garden Club fosters a sense of community and belonging, making it accessible to all students.

The Ashley Falls PTA is proud to continually fully fund the school garden, the Butterfly Way Station, and Nathan Gordon's memorial garden.

Be sure to check out the Garden Club Photo Album. You can save the link and check back each week as Maestro Miguel adds new photos and videos of the kids hard at work. It is so much fun to see! The Garden Club gives students in grades K–6 the opportunity to experience what it truly means to care for nature. Ashley Falls is the only school in our district with such a thriving garden program, and we are incredibly proud of it!

The PTA currently provides $3,500 each year to help fund Garden Club supplies, but this is just the beginning. As participation continues to grow, we are exploring opportunities for larger grants, corporate sponsorships, and additional community support.

If your child hasn’t visited the Garden Club yet, encourage them to check it out! From the beautiful Monarch Garden to fresh fruits and vegetables, including dragon fruit, there is so much for them to discover.

A huge thank-you to our incredible teachers for dedicating their lunchtime every day of the school year to creating this special experience for our students.