The project name is Franklin Elementary Garden Irrigation System. The Franklin Elementary School has a garden, to which the Roots and Shoots has a presence in. Franklin has a school garden with 11 brick raised beds and several wooden planters. However, the problem is keeping it sustained and maintained throughout the year. This is because it does not have irrigation. The lack of watering during school breaks and summer vacation has regularly led to plant and soil death.
With this problem in mind, Roots & Shoots would use the mini-grant to install a basic drip irrigation system on an electric timer. There is a water source 14 feet away that can be run inside the fence to supply the garden. Along with this new supply we will add a spigot (for planting and hand watering) and a computer controlled timer that will be attached to waterlines for each raised bed and planter. We are planning the installation for this summer, using volunteers from Roots & Shoots NYLC in August 2016 as a part of their service project for that week. Franklin Elementary School has also ecstatically agreed to provide support and access during summer. We would keep in touch with them to see if there's any changes and how the irrigation system is impacting their garden. Communication is the key to teamwork and it will be the key to measure our success.
