Farm King

Contest!

2010-09-10T18:30:00.001-07:00

http://www.plasticsareforever.org/learn/

Green My Parents

2010-09-04T13:50:00.001-07:00

http://www.greenmyparents.com/

Food For Lunch

2010-09-04T13:49:00.001-07:00

http://foodforlunch.org/

5 kids who are changing the world!

2010-09-04T13:45:00.001-07:00

http://green.yahoo.com/blog/care2/46/five-kids-who-are-changing-the-world.html

LA River Clean Up

2010-05-20T08:42:00.000-07:00

On Friday, April 30, 2010 our class went to the LA River and helped clean it up! We went with Mr. Egeler and his students and filled two school buses. The drive was not very far, we ended up in Atwater Village under the bridge on Fletcher Drive. We went right down into the river and started cleaning up. We were given trash bags to fill and we filled plenty! Mostly what was down there were plastic bags from Ralph's and places like that. They were in lots of palm trees! There was even the whole body of a car down there, and a few mattresses. It was very hot, but we had fun, and we felt good helping clean up the environment. When we left it was a lot cleaner!

You can check out their website here: http://folar.org/

Karla is in the Los Feliz Ledger!

2010-03-04T07:13:00.000-08:00

http://www.losfelizledger.com/2010/03/thomas-starr-king-we-need-bees/

The Winning Bee essay for the Los Feliz Ledger- by Karla Rodriguez

2010-02-15T20:10:00.000-08:00

We Need Bees

This Tuesday February 2nd, an urban beekeeper named Leonardo Chalupowicz came to Farm King. We learned that bees are important for all vegetation. They carry pollen from flower to flower and also to fruits and vegetables. One third of the food we eat is dependant on pollinators like bees. If we didn’t have bees, we wouldn’t have any vegetation.

Leonardo brought us honey from the bees before it’s processed. Also, he brought a smoker that’s used on bees to make them get drowsy because they think there’s a nearby fire and they eat a lot of honey. In addition, he brought honeycombs and we all got an opportunity to try it before the honey is removed from the comb. Leonardo also brought his equipment he uses when going near the bees. You can find out more about the urban beekeeper’s here: http://beehuman.blogspot.com/

Urban Bees?!

2010-02-03T15:24:00.001-08:00

Stay tuned for an article on the Urban Beekeeper, Leonardo Chalupowicz, who came to teach us about bees yesterday!

Farm King "Top Chef"- December 8th

2009-12-23T14:46:00.000-08:00

Today at Farm King we had a "Top Chef" style competition. There were 6 Chefs who each showed us how to make a healthy dish using vegetables and/or foods from the garden. The Chefs were all volunteers from the local community and we really learned a lot from them. They were:

1. Jason Michaud, chef/owner of Local Restaurant:
http://www.laweekly.com/2008-11-06/eat-drink/local-eccentric-jason-michaud-lands-his-own-place-in-silver-lake/
Jason and the students working with him made a delicious yam/kale salad with homemade mayo! Yum.

2. Jennifer Frankovis, General Manager of Bleu Sage Restaurant (opening in space where Back Door Bakery used to be on Silver Lake Blvd):
http://eatingla.blogspot.com/2009/02/bleu-sage-to-replace-backdoor-bakery.html
Jennifer braved the outdoors on a cold LA day to show kids how to make a vegetable pizza on the stove top. She also gave out recipes for a 'knead-free' pizza crust!

3. Louise Leonard, culinary consultant on Top Chef :
http://www.film.com/celebrities/louise-leonard/24470437
Louise and the students made delicious chicken/fennel/apple/onion kabobs on the grill!

4. Marbella Garcia, Large Marge's prep cook and owner of a farm and restaurant in Mexico (no link)
This station was a big hit. The students got to put together their own chicken and cheese tostadas!

5. Meg Taylor, owner of Large Marge Sustainables (catering) and Farm King SUPER volunteer!
www.largemargesustainables.com
The students all know Meg, who is a 'regular' at Farm King. She made a super salad with pomegranate and oranges! She also supplied all the dishes and tablecloths. She is amazing!

6. Frank Boyle, owner of SiLa Bistro:
http://www.sila-bistro.com/
Frank was a big hit making poached pears with a chocolate sauce, covered with whipped cream!

And the TOP CHEF FARM KING WINNER was.....PIZZA by Jennifer Frankovis!!
We all give a big Thank You to the wonderful volunteers. The students, staff and teachers all had a blast!

Worms! December 1st

2009-12-18T14:37:00.000-08:00

Hi, this is Yulissa! Today at Farm King we studied worms! Kiki gave us some red wiggler worms and we poured a little water on them. We got a worksheet and answered questions such as:
What is the color of the head?
The tail?
What color is the prostomium (a flap which covers the mouth of the worm).

We measured the worm in inches, mine was 1.5". We learned that worms have both male and female parts. At the other stations we watered all over the school so the plants could grow. Then in the last station we observed the plants that we planted 3 weeks ago. I can't wait to see what they have for us next week.

November 17th by Gabriela

2009-11-22T18:19:00.000-08:00

Today, November 17, we went to Farm King. We learned how to make pesto and how to plant a plant. Kiki was the one that showed us how to make pesto and Brian showed us how to plant.
To make pesto you need basil leaves which we got fresh from our garden. First you tear the leaves into little bits, then you add a bit of salt to make the leaves softer and easier to break down. Then you add raw or roasted chopped garlic. After you add the garlic you beat it to crush the leaves- while doing that you add a little bit of pepper and olive oil (good for your heart) and when the pesto looks well crushed, grab some pita bread and enjoy!
To plant a plant there are many steps. The first step is to choose a plant that you would like to plant, but before you plant your plant you have to cultivate the soil. After the soil is cultivated you dig a hole big enough to fit the plant inside, but not too deep. When you put the plant inside the hole you then cover the plant's roots with dirt but not so much that you cover the whole plant. After covering the plant's roots with soil you water it but not so much that you drown the poor plant. After you have done all those tasks, all you have to do now is care for your plant. That is what some people did today at Farm King with Kiki and Brian.

by Miguel

2009-11-13T10:35:00.001-08:00

Farm King is one of the most exciting school activities I have participated in. When my class visits the garden, we do a lot of things. We go around watering the trees and plants, we have tasted food made by the Farm King people from the fruits and vegetables they grew in the garden, and more. We decorated pumpkins to put out in the garden, we learned about plants and insects, and we put blue trash cans around the school to help recycle. I have learned a lot from Farm King and I hope I can learn more and more.

by Eunice

2009-11-10T18:10:00.000-08:00

Hi everybody! My name is Eunice Lee and I’m here to tell you about our school’s, Thomas Starr King Middle School, new program, Farm King. At Farm King, we learn about how to reduce waste. The people working there are Tomas O’ Grady, Kiki Crawford, Meg Taylor, and Brian Miller. We learn about composting with earthworms, recycling, and how to make food while saving the planet. Compost is a mixture of decaying organic matter. Earthworms eat the organic matter and poop it out which makes soil. We recycle at our school. We set recycling bins all over the school to let other people recycle and know in their hearts that they are saving the planet. Meg Taylor made cinnamon apples using a solar oven. It helps cook the apples into apple pie filling and tastes really good. Our class really enjoys Farm King and hopes to save the planet.

by Lee

2009-11-10T17:25:00.000-08:00

The Environmental Youth Conference is a meeting that encourages teens and their families to save the planet. My experience attending the meetings was interesting. There were booths that give you information and brochures that tell about curing the Earth. There were also speakers, who talked about using alternative fuels, solar energy, conserving water and energy, the importance of trees, recycling, and reducing the use of plastic. Some teens even suggested some ideas to help make a difference. There were also actors from the TV shows: The Secret Life of the American Teenager, Sonny with a Chance, Hannah Montana, Cory in the House, etc. They talked about their organization and experiences. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was even there to speak. My experience there really opened my eyes. I’ve learned to save water and energy and to recycle more often.

by Kathrina

2009-11-10T07:05:00.001-08:00

At Thomas Starr King M.S. we have a garden called “Farm King”. Every Tuesday Ms. Ralph’s classes get to go out to the garden and help out. We learn about composting, farming, and helping out the environment. Every Tuesday when we leave the garden, we are enriched with so much new information. With that information, they encourage us to put it into action. By putting it into action, we encourage others to do the same as well. Which therefore concludes to a lot of kids making a difference for our planet. Instead of having lectures and sitting at a desk, we get to learn through a hands-on experience. Which is why everyone looks forward to Tuesdays and getting to help out at the garden.

by Ignacio

2009-11-09T20:28:00.000-08:00

At Farm King I learned that a worm is a both boy and girl. I have also learned how to grow a plant. Also how to plant a seed and which items are recyclable and which are not. I have also learned how to spread mulch. I have learned that freshly grown fruits, vegetables, and herbs taste better than store bought food. I have also learned how to decorate a Halloween pumpkin. I have learned how to build a bench. Also how to make a compost and what to put into a compost which is biodegradable items such as watermelon rinds and banana peels. I have also learned how to make a paper pot.
That is what I have learned.

sent from Karla!

2009-11-09T17:00:00.001-08:00

On Wednesday November 4, Ms. Ralph’s 4th period class went on a field trip to the Environmental Youth Conference. We were given many items to inspire us in taking care of our environment, such as workbooks, buisness cards, and speeches. From saving energy to saving water and using different sources of fuels, we were exposed to information that if every one of us would follow, we could all make a difference in the world. We can’t just count on President Obama to help us fix the damage done to our Earth. If we all take a step and set an example, everyone else just might follow. We’re the future and we can all make it a different tomorrow.

Welcome to Farm King!

2009-11-06T11:20:00.000-08:00

This is where the students from Farm King will be posting information about what they are learning and doing in the garden at Thomas Starr King Middle School.