After a rainy day brought our class indoors last week, students at Gardner Elementary were excited to have their first session in the garden this week. Last week, our students had the opportunity to learn about the life-cycle of a seed, from endosperm to eggplant, as well as the gardener’s role in this cycle. We were thrilled to learn that one of our classes had already been observing this process, with their very own avocado tree sprouted from one of the seeds a student had brought from his family tree. Although we are not sure of the exact cultivar, we knew it was time to give the avocado a larger home. This week, we helped the students transplant their avocado into a pot of soil, so it can continue growing and obtain much needed nutrients.

Also known as “alligator pears” because of the rough skin on some species, avocados have a rich history and mythology of Latin American origin, as Aztecs considered avocadoes a “fruit of the kings”. This is with good reason, as avocados are not only luxuriously delicious, but have many health benefits. Research has shown that avocado oil helps protect against many diseases, helps lower cholesterol with good fats, and is good for your hair, skin and more.