Partners After School participants visited Heartwood Farm in Friendsville, Maryland, for the opportunity to plant hybrid chestnut trees in what will be part of a diversified food forest along the hillside of the farm. The farm is home to pawpaw, black walnut, yellow bud hickory, pear, cherry, and apple trees, with much more to come. Students gathered trees and materials needed and carried water from a creek to the site, where they dug their hands in the soil, gathered worms for the chickens, and successfully planted trees. The students also had the opportunity to walk a woodland trail, and when asked, “what was your favorite part of the farm,” one boy responded, “the woods and that big tree,” referring to a giant Catalpa tree that greets visitors at the farmhouse.
Partners After School will return to the farm next school year to check on the progress of their trees and participate in other fun hands-on activities. If you would like more information about the Partners After School Program or how to contact Heartwood Farm, contact Kristen Walker at the Garrett County Health Department at 301-334-7730. Funding for Partners After School is provided by the Local Management Board and the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services. Additional funding is provided through the Department of Social Services and United Way of Garrett County.
