Preparing the Garden for Winter

  "We got all the dead plants out of the garden.  We got all the tomato plants up.  Also, we went through the tomato bed and got all the things that were not supposed to be there like tomatoes that were no good, and anything that was not dirt.  We pulled the weeds out of the tomato bed too."

--Alzario

Alzario shows off a late harvest of tomatoes and acorn squash.

"We pulled the roots out because they were dead.  They were old.  They were dry.  Also the soil has to rest during the winter.  I pulled a lot of roots out of the garden's soil."

-Cecil

Laron and Cecil remove a tomato cage.

"I think the soil will rest.  And in the spring we'll start growing more fruits and vegetables."

--Cecil

Cecil composts the garden waste.

Cecil puts tomato cages into storage.

"We also cut the old irrigation pipes and put them into Mr. Dwyer's office.  We are going to use those pipes for our next year's hoop houses."

--Alzario

"I think we are making good use of things we don't need anymore.  So that way we don't have to go out and buy new materials.  And that is a good use for the world because if we don't spend so much money it could go to a good use in the world.  We are using old things for a very good use."

--Alzario

Knife Skills and Soup Tasting at Gourmet Gorilla

"The two goals we had when we went to [CJA's food service provider] Gourmet Gorilla were to figure out which soup we liked the best so we can make a big batch and sell it and to focus on the type of knives we use."
--Laron

"My favorite soup that I tasted was French Onion.  I think the ingredients in this soup were onions, oil, and water.  My second favorite soup was ribollita.  I think the ingredients were carrots, onions, greens, and I would say they were soaked or drained to get the greenish color.  I liked these soups because a few of them really didn't hit my taste buds and my first two did."

--Laron

"My favorite soup was French Onion.  Some of the ingredients were onion, garlic, salt, and pepper.  My second favorite was the ribollita.  The ingredients in that one were carrots, greens, salt, pepper, and garlic.  I liked those soups because they are healthy.  All of them had a really nice taste to them, but I think the ATF should produce the French Onion soup.  I say that because it's simple and a lot of people like or love onions."

--Alzario

"I practiced slicing.  I sliced peppers and I had to use an unbalanced knife to slice the pepper.  I put my thumb behind my fingers and pulled the knife as I moved my hand as I sliced."

--Cecil

"I practiced with a bird's beak knife on a grape.  It's shaped like a beak.  It was very difficult.  I think I'll be trying it even more on my knife skills and I did it at home."

--Casimir

"I practiced holding the knife the right way and knowing where to put my fingers in the right way.  I cut a pepper.  Me practicing knife skills will help me in the long run because I want to be a chef someday."

--Alzario

"Matt very likely used a chef's knife all the time."

--Laron

"My thoughts on this trip are that it was very fun and very tasty indeed.  I liked the trip to Gourmet Gorilla."

--Cecil

Composting Chicken Waste

"We used the chickens' poop to put in CJA's compost because it has nutrients that can help the compost to become better soil.  I had to dig up the hard chicken ground and carry it to the compost.  Then I had to fill the bucket with a whole bunch of wood chips and pour back into the spot in the chicken run that I had dug up."
--Cecil

Expanding the chicken run

"We made a big change to the chicken run.  We added more space to the run so the chickens can run around.  The afternoon before we worked on it, Mr. Dwyer put chicken wire around the inside of the school's main fence.  I took pictures of what we were doing."

--Alzario

The original chicken run

The new space

Dakota gets excited

The ATF cooperates to cut chicken wire to the right size

"I cut the wire so that Mr. Dwyer can connect the door that allows the chickens to get from the old run into the bigger run."

--Jamari

Dion contemplates how useful wire can be

"I put the chicken wire together"

--Cecil

"The chickens were very scared at first but after a while they kind of liked it.  I love it because it allows the chickens to be free at last!"

--Jamari

"We did this to make the chickens happier.  They have more room .  Also they do not have to step in their own poop.  This will avoid them getting sick.  This will avoid the coop from smelling bad."

--Dakota

"Some of them were a little happy they had more space.  I think they are going to like it a lot.  And I know they will love it."

--Alzario

Rain Barrel Decoration Contest

"The Illinois Department of Transportation made a contest, and to win we have to make a design to decorate a rain barrel.  Usually when it rains, water goes in the sewer and floods.  But a rain barrel stops that.  Water goes in the rain barrel from the downspout so we can use it later.  We can water plants with this.  When that stops the rest of the water goes in the ground.  Then goes into the lake.  It takes a long time to get there.  By the time it is there it is clean.  If it was in the sewer it would be very dirty, and some people swim in the water in the lake."
--Dakota

"The Illinois Department of Transportation has made a contest to give a school a rain barrel.  Rain barrels help you be able to collect rain.  It then allows you to dump that rain in your garden.  It also helps us in a lot of ways.  When it rains, it goes into the ground anyway.  But we can have the power to dump later when it isn't raining.  This way we can save water for the school.  We can even save water for the whole community.  This is very useful and helpful.  This way we can conserve water.  I love rain barrels!"
--Jamari

Smokey Bacon & Tomato Soup on sale at Friday's Farmers' Market

Friday the 29th of September, the CJA Agriculture Task Force kicked off the sale of it's Smokey Bacon & Tomato Soup.  The sale was a big success; we sold all but three jars!

We've got another batch to sell, so come on down to buy a jar.  You'll get great tasting soup, support local farmers and help CJA students learn about health, sustainability, and economics.

CJA Farmers’ Market

This Friday, October 5th

2:30 dismissal, after the spelling bee

Outside the atrium

Great prices on crops grown at CJA, and

SMOKEY BACON & TOMATO SOUP

What's going on with CJA's chickens?

 CJA students spend time with our hens during recess.  Student photographers document the work.

Mr. Farmer, Coco, and Coretta

Photo by Marquis

Keonnie feeds the chickens some leftover bread

Photo by Marquis

Milaun knows how much chickens love to eat weeds

Photo by Marquis

Rakeem makes sure the ladies have enough feed mix

Photo by Nasir

Hykeem shows off this afternoon's fresh eggs

Photo by Keyshawn

The group is proud of a job well done

Photo by Marquis