{"id":45067,"date":"2022-07-26T13:15:47","date_gmt":"2022-07-26T11:15:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/test.steinmuehle.de\/blog\/2022\/07\/26\/dedicated-high-school-students-are-expanding-the-orchard-meadow\/"},"modified":"2026-06-18T17:35:55","modified_gmt":"2026-06-18T15:35:55","slug":"dedicated-high-school-students-are-expanding-the-orchard-meadow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/steinmuehle.de\/en\/blog\/2022\/07\/26\/dedicated-high-school-students-are-expanding-the-orchard-meadow\/","title":{"rendered":"Dedicated high school students are expanding the orchard meadow"},"content":{"rendered":"

The \u201cscattered-tree orchard.\u201d It\u2019s considered a symbol of traditional agriculture, evoking associations with picking apples, freshly squeezed fruit juices, homemade jam, and jars filled with preserves in the pantry\u2014and perhaps even \u201cWe Children of Bullerb\u00fc\u201d? <\/p>\n

Furthermore, orchard meadows provide a habitat for a wide variety of animal and plant species and are therefore rightly considered biodiversity hotspots. They are an important part of the cultural landscape\u2014not only in Hesse. However, due to restructuring measures in the agricultural sector (EU directives), the expansion of new residential areas, a lack of interest, the need for maintenance, drought (climate change), etc., their numbers have been severely depleted and they are now endangered. Accordingly, orchard meadows are protected under the Biodiversity Enhancement Act. <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Use as a \u201cgreen classroom\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Since the meadow in the undergrowth is rarely mowed, it is particularly rich in flowers and provides a food source for many insect species\u2014such as protected wild bees. It goes without saying that the school\u2019s own orchard meadow is also used as a \u201cgreen classroom\u201d as part of biology lessons\u2014to study and observe flora and fauna, or simply to \u201cenjoy\u201d nature. <\/p>\n

Of course, the plan is for students to harvest the fruit themselves and then process and taste it as part of classroom projects.<\/p>\n

Since the fruit is consumed and processed locally, there is no need for the usual long transport routes\u2014including climate-damaging emissions and energy consumption. Thus, the orchard meadow also makes an important contribution to nature conservation and climate protection! Plus: The orchard will likely \u201cspice up\u201d the occasional class as well. <\/p>\n

With this in mind, the Advanced Biology, General Biology, and Political Science courses (taught by Carmen Bastian) have decided to expand the orchard\u2014which was originally established as part of a project-based learning initiative in 9th grade\u2014by adding twenty fruit trees. Recommended attire: work gloves, work pants, plus a spade and shovel. Thanks to the parents for lending us the tools! <\/p>\n

Divided into \u201ctree-planting teams,\u201d the students began digging planting holes and wrapping wire around the tree roots to protect them. The trees were planted, secured to a stake [usually straight ;-)], and watered. <\/p>\n

The question of whether only the roots were watered\u2014or whether, in addition, one or two students\u2019 feet were \u201caccidentally\u201d watered as well\u2014remains unanswered.<\/p>\n

Finally, each \u201ctree-planting team\u201d \u201cnamed\u201d its tree with a name of its own choosing. This \u201cceremony\u201d had no religious, political, esoteric, or similar motives. Rather: <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Planting a tree is fun and sustainable.”<\/strong><\/p>\n

Whether the quote \u201cIf I knew the world were to end tomorrow, I would still plant an apple tree today\u201d actually comes from Luther or is falsely attributed to him played no role in the expansion of the orchard meadow.<\/p>\n

Will the wish to enjoy an apple from \u201cmy own tree\u201d\u2014as part of a fall festival in a few years J\u2014come true? We\u2019ll see. <\/p>\n

Jana M\u00fcller, Biology Honors Class, 10th Grade<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The \u201cscattered-tree orchard.\u201d It\u2019s considered a symbol of traditional agriculture, evoking associations with picking apples, freshly squeezed fruit juices, homemade jam, and jars filled with preserves in the pantry\u2014and perhaps even \u201cWe Children of Bullerb\u00fc\u201d? Furthermore, orchard meadows provide a habitat for a wide variety of animal and plant species and are therefore rightly considered […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":45068,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[96,85,108],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-45067","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ecology-and-sustainability","category-news","category-social-engagement"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/steinmuehle.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45067","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/steinmuehle.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/steinmuehle.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/steinmuehle.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/steinmuehle.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=45067"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/steinmuehle.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45067\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":49344,"href":"https:\/\/steinmuehle.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45067\/revisions\/49344"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/steinmuehle.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/45068"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/steinmuehle.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45067"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/steinmuehle.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=45067"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/steinmuehle.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=45067"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}