photo credit Sonja Wilkinson and Unsplash
photo credit Sonja Wilkinson and Unsplash
Click for the Garden of Youth 2021 Calendar
Use this schedule and the resources below to learn our weekly job and garden skills. Check out the training videos and review as needed. You can also look ahead to see what we will be doing each week. Review and practice you skills each week.
We will also be having summer long competitions to photo graph and identify insects, weeds and animal visitors to our gardens.
Welcome to the Garden of Youth internship program! We are going to practice and grow our job skills as we grow and sell our garden produce. We will work hard, get dirty and have some fun. We will learn how to grow delicious, organic fruits and vegetables and build our résumés. By the end of the 10 week internship we will know what it takes to shine in any job or career.
Take a look ahead at what skills we will be practicing each week. Use the tabs to review and grow your garden knowledge.
This week we are getting to know our interns, our garden sites and the expectations we have for the summer. We will learn our daily schedule, tour our site, identify weeds and veggies, and get the materials we need for success.
We are focusing on basic job and garden skills. We will go into the importance of showing up on-time everyday, working while you are at work, and having what you need to be successful. We will also learn how to gently plant seeds and transplant delicate seedlings in our garden.
Garden Skills: Planting & Transplanting
Job Skills: Show Up On Time Everyday, Work while you are at work, Bring what you need to be successful
The first week is just about getting to know each other and learn expectations for Garden of Youth. Troubleshoot any public transportation issues that an intern may have getting to and from their garden.
8:00 Student Sign In
8:15 Tour Site
8:30 Open Your Weekly Box
8:40 Begin working
9:00 Bio Break – Wear masks when in the building
9:10 Work Training and Garden Lesson
10:00 Bio Break – Wear masks when in the building
10:10 Garden work
10:50 Clean up and Site Out
11:00 Leave for the Day
8:00 Student Sign In
8:10 Tour Site
8:25 Garden Work
8:45 Virtual Meeting – Welcome and Expectations
9:45 Bio Break
10:00 Garden work
10:45 Group Photo and Clean up
11:00 Leave for the Day
8:00 Student Sign In
8:10 Tour Site
8:25 Begin working
9:00 Bio Break – Wear masks when in the building
9:10 Work Training and Garden Lesson
9:45 Bio Break – Wear masks when in the building
9:55 Garden work
10:40 Mindfulness
10:50 Clean up and Site Out
11:00 Leave for the Day
No one likes to be sprayed in the face and plants feel the same. Plants want water to their roots at the end of your workday. The warm soil helps prevent the cold water from surprising and shocking the plant roots.
We live in a high plains desert and the air dries out the soil. The only way to tell if a plant needs water, or if the water has been able to get to the plant’s roots is to dig into the soil with your shovel or finger.
It is best to water an area, move on to the next and then return to the first area. This forces the water deeper into the soil and trains our plants to grow their roots deeper. Deeper roots allow plants more access to water during hot and dry weather.
Job Skills: Stamina, Cell Phones and Breaks
8:00 Student Sign In
8:10 Tour Site
8:25 Begin working
9:00 Bio Break
9:10 Work Training and Garden Lessons
10:00 Bio Break
10:10 Garden work
10:50 Clean up and Site Out
11:00 Leave for the day
8:00 Student Sign In
8:10 Tour Site
8:25 Watch the 3 Sisters video 4 min
8:45 Virtual Meeting – Welcome and Expectations
9:45 Bio Break
9:55 Garden work
10:35 Bio Break
10:45 Group Photo and Clean up
11:00 Leave for the day
8:00 Student Sign In
8:10 Tour Site
8:20 Start the Instagram Insect Challenge
8:30 – Master Gardeners arrive at gardens and / or watch video on Block Style gardens 11 min
8:45 Begin working
9:15 Bio Break – Bathroom, water and snack, phone check
9:25 Work Training and Garden Lessons
10:10 Bio Break
10:10 Garden work and watering
10:40 Mindfulness – Take 10 minutes to just be in the garden – no working
10:50 Clean up and Site Out
11:00 Leave for the Day
In nature, there is no such thing as waste. Everything is a resource as nutrients moved through organisms and ecosystems again and again. This cycle ensures nutrients are not lost forever as they continue to sustain life all around us.
Composting is how we turn our unwanted plant material back into nutrients to feed the soil ecosystem and our future garden vegetables. Take a look at the Denver Urban Gardens composting page.
Job Skills: Professional Communication in person, phone, texts and emails
8:00 Student Sign In
8:10 Tour Site
8:25 Spend 10 minute on the Instagram Challenge – See Week 2 Friday
8:35 Begin working
9:15 Bio Break – Bathroom, water and snack, phone check
9:25 Work Training, Garden Lessons and Videos
10:10 Bio Break – Bathroom, water and snack, phone check
10:20 Garden work and watering
10:50 Clean up and Site Out
11:00 Leave for the Day
8:00 Student Sign In
8:10 Tour Site
8:25 Spend 10 minutes on the Instagram Challenge #1 (This is optional on your personal phones or use your DPS email to create a second account) See Week 2 Friday
8:35 Quick Training Videos
8:45 Garden work
9:45 Bio Break – Bathroom , Water and snack, Phone check
10:00 Virtual Meeting – Welcome and Expectations
Garden work
10:45 Group Photo and Clean up
11:00 Leave for the day
8:00 Student Sign In
8:10 Tour Site
8:25 Spend 10 minutes on the Instagram Challenge #1 See Week 2
8:35 Begin working
9:15 Bio Break – Bathroom, water and snack, phone check
9:25 Work Training and Garden Lessons
10:00 Bio Break – Bathroom, water and snack, phone check
10:10 Garden work and watering (It’s going to be hot, allow more time)
10:40 Mindfulness – Take 10 minutes to just be in the garden – no working
10:50 Clean up and Site Out
11:00 Leave for the Day
This week will we look at some of the most common beneficial insects and insect pests we will find in garden. Some insects are in our gardens to eat our fruits and veggies while other insects help us out by feeding on the pests themselves. Other insects help us by pollinating our plants and helping keep our soil healthy.
Job Skill: Time Management
8:00 Student Sign In
8:10 Tour Site
8:25 Spend 10 minutes on the Instagram Challenges See Week 2 Friday
8:35 Begin working
9:15 Bio Break – Bathroom, water and snack, phone check
9:25 Work Training and Garden Lessons – find a shady space
10:00 Bio Break – Bathroom, water and snack, phone check
10:10 Garden work and watering
10:50 Clean up site and head out
11:00 Leave for the Day
8:00 Student Sign In
8:10 Tour Site
8:25 Spend 10 minutes on the Instagram Challenge #1
8:35 Quick Training Videos
8:45 No Virtual Meeting – Bird and Bug House Painting
9:45 Bio Break – Wear masks when in the building
10:00 Garden work – Look for insects in your garden and watch what they are doing
10:45 Group Photo and Clean up
11:00 Leave for the Day
8:00 Student Sign In
8:10 Tour Site
8:25 Spend 10 minutes on the Instagram Challenges (This is optional on your personal phones or use your DPS email to create a second account)
8:35 Begin working
9:15 Bio Break – Wear masks when in the building
9:25 Work Training and Garden Lessons
10:00 Bio Break – Wear masks when in the building
10:10 Garden work and watering (It’s going to be hot, allow more time)
10:50 Clean up and Site Out
11:00 Leave for the Day
Bees, moths, birds and bats pollinate flowers in their search for nectar.
Job Skill: Attitude is Contagious
8:00 Student Sign In
8:10 Tour Site
8:25 Spend 10 minutes on the Instagram Challenges (This is optional on your personal phones or use your DPS email to create a second account)
8:35 Begin working
9:15 Bio Break – Wear masks when in the building
9:25 Work Training and Garden Work
10:00 Bio Break – Wear masks when in the building
10:10 Garden work and watering (It is hot, allow more time)
10:50 Clean up and Site Out
11:00 Leave for the Day
8:00 Student Sign In
8:10 Tour Site
8:25 Quick Training Videos
8:45 Virtual Meeting – Welcome and Expectations
9:30 Bio Break – Wear masks when in the building
9:40 Garden work
10:35 Spend 10 minutes on the Instagram Challenge #1
10:45 Group Photo and Clean up
11:00 Leave
8:00 Student Sign In & Prep for long weekend
8:10 Tour Site
8:25 Spend 10 minutes on the Instagram Challenges (This is optional on your personal phones or use your DPS email to create a second account)
8:35 Begin working
9:15 Bio Break – Wear masks when in the building
9:25 Garden Work
10:00 Bio Break – Wear masks when in the building
10:10 Garden work and watering (allow more time)
10:50 Clean up and Site Out
11:00 Leave for the Day
When we work as a team toward a common goal, we can accomplish much more together than working independently. This week we are practicing working together as a team and look to nature to reveal how we can utilize our strengths and minimize our challenges.
Corn, beans and squash work together to support each other creating a mutual system of gain. Check out this video to learn more about 3 Sisters gardens and why they are so effective.
Plants are not good or bad and weeds are just plants in the “wrong” place. Corn growing in a driveway is as much of a weed as a thistle in the garden. Many “weeds” are good for the soil, feed native insects and birds, and some such as common purslane (portulaca oleracea) are delicious additions to salads or stir fry.
Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale), Lamb’s Quarters (Chenopodium album) and Purslane are all delicious “weeds” that are found in gardens, yards and open fields in Colorado.
No work – Independence Day Observed
8:00 Student Sign In
8:10 Tour Site
8:25 Quick Training Videos
8:45 Virtual Meeting
9:30 Bio Break – Wear masks when in the building
9:40 Garden work
10:35 Spend 10 minutes on the Instagram Challenge #1
10:45 Group Photo and Clean up
11:00 Leave
8:00 Student Sign In
8:10 Tour Site
8:25 Spend 10 minutes on the Instagram Challenges
8:35 Begin working
9:15 Bio Break – Wear masks when in the building
9:25 Garden Work
10:00 Bio Break – Wear masks when in the building
10:10 Garden work and watering (allow more time)
10:50 Clean up and Site Out
11:00 Leave for the Day
Stewardship is recognizing our responsibility to care for the world around us. The world provides everything we need to live and thrive and we are compelled to give back to the Earth to ensure future generations have the same wonderful place to live.
Just as we work to invest in the Earth we also need to invest in our future selves is important as we build a brighter future.
Job Skill: Invest in your future – have a plan!
8:00 Student Sign In
8:10 Tour Site
8:25 Spend 10 minutes on the Instagram Challenges
8:35 Begin working
9:15 Bio Break – Wear masks when in the building
9:25 Garden Work
10:00 Bio Break – Wear masks when in the building
10:10 Garden work and watering (allow more time it has been hot)
10:50 Clean up and Site Out
11:00 Leave for the Day
8:00 Student Sign In
8:10 Tour Site
8:25 Quick Training Videos – Stewardship
8:45 Virtual Meeting – Stewardship
9:10 Bio Break – Wear masks when in the building
9:20 Stewardship Walk / Campus Clean Up
10:35 Spend 10 minutes on the Instagram Challenge #1
10:45 Group Photo, Upload and Clean up
11:00 Leave
8:00 Student Sign In
8:10 Tour Site
8:25 Spend 10 minutes on the Instagram Challenges
8:35 Begin working
9:15 Bio Break – Wear masks when in the building
9:25 Garden Work
10:00 Bio Break – Wear masks when in the building
10:10 Garden work and watering
10:50 Clean up and Site Out
11:00 Leave for the Day
We live in an amazing world where everything is connected to everything else. Turn over a rock or a rotting log and see a busy miniature world of insects, worms and other invertebrates.
Job Skills Review: 1. Show up every day on-time 2.Bring what you need for success 3. Work during work time, break during break time
8:00 Student Sign In
8:10 Tour Site
8:25 Spend 10 minutes on the Instagram Challenges
8:35 Begin working
9:15 Bio Break – Wear masks when in the building
9:25 Garden Work
10:00 Bio Break – Wear masks when in the building
10:10 Garden work and watering
10:50 Clean up and Site Out
11:00 Leave for the Day
8:00 Student Sign In
8:10 Tour Site
8:20 Quick Training Videos – Wondrous World of Plants – Patterns in Nature
8:45 Virtual Meeting – Patterns in Nature
9:10 Bio Break – Wear masks when in the building
9:20 Patterns – Harvest Seed
10:35 Spend 10 minutes on the Instagram Challenge
10:45 Group Photo, Upload and Clean up
11:00 Leave
8:00 Student Sign In
8:10 Tour Site
8:25 Spend 10 minutes on the Instagram Challenge
8:35 Begin working
9:15 Bio Break – Wear masks when in the building
9:25 Seed Mosaics Project – Find a shady spot for this project:
10:00 Bio Break – Wear masks when in the building
10:10 Garden work and watering
10:50 Clean up and Site Out
11:00 Leave for the Day
One of the best things about our program is that we get to eat and share our work! Nutrition is the science of eating foods that taste good, provide the best fuel for our bodies and help us to feel and be our best. We will learn some simple ways of know which foods are better for our bodies and minds than others.
We will also be learning about how save our own seeds from our gardens to plant next spring and summer.
8:00 Student Sign In
8:10 Tour Site
8:25 Begin working in the garden or project
9:15 Bio Break – Wear masks when in the building
9:25 Nutrition and Seed Harvest Videos
9:45 Bio Break – Wear masks when in the building
9:55 Garden work and watering
10:50 Clean up and Site Out
11:00 Leave for the Day
8:00 Student Sign In
8:10 Tour Site
8:20 Quick Training Videos – Nutrition and More
8:45 Virtual Meeting – Harvesting Seeds
9:10 Bio Break – Wear masks when in the building
9:20 Harvesting and Saving Seed
10:10 Bio Break – Wear masks when in the building
10:45 Group Photo, Upload and Clean up
11:00 Leave
8:00 Student Sign In
8:10 Tour Site
8:25 Begin working in the garden or project
9:15 Bio Break – Wear masks when in the building
9:25 Videos
9:35 Bio Break – Wear masks when in the building
9:45 Garden work and watering
10:50 Clean up and Site Out
11:00 Leave for the Day
It’s the last week of Garden of Youth and we have come a long way over the summer. The gardens have grown and so have your job skills. This week, we are going to make seed balls for next year’s interns. We will also be practicing budgeting, meal planning and getting ready for our celebration on Friday.
8:00 Student Sign In
8:10 Tour Site
8:25 Begin working in the garden and Seed Ball Project
9:15 Bio Break – Wear masks when in the building
9:25 Garden work and watering
10:10 Bio Break – Wear masks when in the building
10:20 Garden work and watering
10:50 Clean up and Site Out
11:00 Leave for the Day
8:00 Student Sign In
8:10 Tour Site
8:20 Quick Training Videos – More about plants
8:45 No Virtual Meeting Today
9:00 Bio Break – Wear masks when in the building
9:10 Budgeting and Shopping
10:10 Bio Break – Wear masks when in the building
10:45 Group Photo, Upload and Clean up
11:00 Leave
8:00 Student Sign In
8:10 Tour Site
8:20 Make Guacamole and Slice Watermelon
8:50 Bio Break – Wear masks when in the building
9:00 Virtual Meeting – Celebration, Certificates and Slide Show
10:15 Bio Break – Wear masks when in the building
10:25 Water Site Last Time and gather materials
10:50 Clean and Lock up
11:00 Leave