Love & marigolds bloom for mothers
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE – Many local Moms have already received their Mother’s Day gifts – marigolds planted by their sons or daughters.
Several pre-K, kindergarten, first- and second-grade classes visited the SAD 1 Educational Farm recently to transplant the Little Hero Flame variety.
“We’ve been doing this for 10-12 years,” said SAD 1 Educational Farm Manager Aaron Buzza. “We always use marigolds. For us it’s a fast-growing, very hearty plant and it can sustain being handled by children.
“The marigolds that the kids receive are started by seed on the farm by students. They were planted March 8 – we’ve got it exactly timed out so they’re blossoming for Mother’s Day,” he said. “This program is targeted for pre-K-2. We also have private schools, home schools and daycares come in and transplant a flower for Mom or other special person.”
Buzza said between 2,200-2,500 marigolds have been given out this year.
“This is a way for us to give back,” he said. “The mothers really appreciate it, but the kids really enjoy doing something special for Mom or the special person in their life. It’s a way for them to give back, and they’re very proud of their flower.”
Alyssa Smart and Braydon Willette, both kindergartners in Rhonda Tweed’s class at Pine Street Elementary School, enjoyed their tour of the SAD 1 Educational Farm.
“I like to plant flowers,” said Smart. “They’re pretty and I like that they grow. It wasn’t hard to plant. I’m going to give mine to my Momma for Mother’s Day. I think she’s going to like it.”
“It was fun getting my hands dirty,” Willette said. “My Mom’s really going to love it. On Mother’s Day I like to give my Mom things and I also help wash the dishes.”
Depending on the recipients’ green thumb abilities, the marigolds can last all season.
“If the plant’s cared for like it should to be,” said Buzza, “watered, deadheaded, kept clean in a nice, sunny area, or put out in a garden, it will grow all season. They’re annuals, so once winter comes they’re gone, but they can last all season if cared for properly.”
Staff photos/Scott Mitchell Johnson
PINE STREET ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Kindergarten teacher Rhonda Tweed helps Vanessa Haines pack dirt around the marigold she planted last Friday at the SAD 1 Educational Farm. Also shown working on their gifts for Mom are, from left: Dakota Taylor and Trevor Casey. SAD 1 Educational Farm Manager Aaron Buzza said between 2,200-2,500 marigolds have been given out this year to students in pre-K, kindergarten, first and second grade, as well as private schools, home schools and daycares who transplanted the Little Hero Flame variety for Mother’s Day.
DAKOTA TAYLOR
A kindergartner in Rhonda Tweed’s class at Pine Street Elementary School, sniffs the marigold he planted last Friday at the SAD 1 Educational Farm. Taylor and his classmates planted the flowers to give to their mothers or other special people for Mother’s Day.
KRISTI KINGSBURY
Right, a volunteer at the SAD 1 Educational Farm, helps Anthony Fonbuena pull out a marigold to transplant for his Mom for Mother’s Day as, from left, Alyssa Smart, Brenna Morneau and Vanessa Haines look on. The children are kindergartners in Rhonda Tweed’s class at Pine Street Elementary School.
