In 1994 students from the Slippery Rock Elementary School were invited to the Harmony Homestead to plant sunflowers and create a sunflower house. This was in connection with the philosophy of the ALTER Project "Education for a better environment", volunteers from ALTER coordinated this event. Third graders planted sunflower seeds in the spring along with a carpet of ground cover and placed stones and logs for chairs and tables to simulate a read dwelling. The children then toured the grounds with their parents to learn about companion planting, beneficial planting, beneficial insects, and composting.

Third Graders Follow Through

In connection with the philosophy of the ALTER Project "Education for a better environment," volunteers from ALTER continued to work at Harmony Homestead this summer.

Third graders were invited back to the Homestead on Aug. 9, to see how the plants they had started in early May had been transformed into a wonderful sunflower house. The children were excited ahout helping to plant a carpet of ground cover and place stones and logs for chairs and tables to simulate a real dwelling.

Following that, they toured the grounds with their parents to learn about companion planting, beneficial insects, and composting.

All expressed enthusiasm for the program and hope for its continuation.

Source: Alternator, July-August-September 1994