Fall is harvest season and what better way to celebrate than by adding to our community’s green space and improving garden access for our neighborhood students. Â On Saturday, November 10, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., the EnrichLA organization will install a huge new edible garden at Wilshire Crest Elementary School (5241 W. Olympic Blvd.). Â Over the last couple of years, several classroom bungalows have been removed from the school’s campus, creating a large amount of open space. Â School officials, representatives from City Council District 4 and community volunteers have been working on long-term plans for the overall greening of the campus, and this weekend’s project will be the first step in that long-term beautification. The school currently has a small garden for its students, but the new project, which includes fruit and avocado trees, paths, picnic tables, an outdoor food prep area, a native/butterfly garden and a large array of raised beds for herbs and vegetables, will more than quadruple the school’s existing educational garden space.
EnrichLA, headed by community activist and former city council candidate Tomás O’Grady, has helped build gardens at dozens of schools throughout Los Angeles and makes it its mission to make sure there’s “an edible garden in every school.”  Additional funding for the project comes from a Los Angeles Community Beautification Grant and a gift from the Windsor Squarre-Hancock Park Historical Society. Volunteers from the Walt Disney company will help with pre-build duties on Friday, November 9, but additional volunteers are still needed for the construction and planting on Saturday.  If you’d like to help, just and click on the “Volunteer” button here for the Saturday, November 10 event.  No special skills are needed beyond a pair of willing hands. Lunch will be provided.