Harvest is starting at Bridges of Silence. The students’ hard work is paying off beginning with cucumbers. It’s amazing to think that through the past week and  a half of monsoon weather complete with sheets of rain, pounding thunder, lightning sparkles and even damaging hail, the Bridges of Silence garden is healthy and productive. Soon, they will have enough produce to begin their farmer’s market. Until then, they share their treasures with those around them.

I have been impressed with the use of the Bridges’ backyard, which is entirely for the garden. This brings new meaning to the term “backyard garden” and inspires me to make changes in my yard next year. How much time, water and money do I spend on useless green grass in the yard? Even keeping half the grass and planting produce on the other half, I could provide organic fruits and vegetables for my family and others for most of the summer. The garden at Bridges is beautiful and peaceful leaving no one yearning for grass.

My mind works in song, and today I’m singing, “Wash, Wash, Wash Your Hands.” For the next eight weeks my Fridays will entail cleaning up breakfast followed by preparing, serving and cleaning up lunch for a summer food site. So, the first thing I needed to do to follow health guidelines was to wash my hands up to my elbows for twenty seconds while singing “Happy Birthday” two times. I chose to sing “Wash, Wash, Wash Your Hands” instead. A little rebellious, I know, but I got the job done.

Breakfast was a quick clean and lunch was a fast prep with Miss Bennett’s guidance, which left time between prep and serve to go observe the work being done in the garden. Bridges of Silence is not only a school, child care center and food site, it is also a children’s community garden. Miss Benjamin has taught the children and youth of the programs to dig trenches, plant seeds, pull weeds and water all so they can have a regular farmers market come fall. The Commerce City neighborhood will have a place to purchase organic, local produce at a reasonable price. All of the children and youth gain experience and knowledge from the garden program. While I didn’t get to stay in the garden long (I had to finish with lunch), I feel like the time there was rewarding.

By the time lunch was ready, the children were “starving” as they say, so Miss Bennett and I filled their trays and gave them second helpings as were desired. Todays menu: beef hot dog, salad, corn, peaches, banana smoothie and milk. When all was said and done, Miss Bennett was extremely grateful for the help she received, though I felt she did most of the work. I was glad to see twenty more children and youth receive a free healthy meal. My role this summer: do what ever needs to be done to support the summer food sites… and wash my hands.