Liberty Tech Charter Grows Up

We are here for families.  To serve the whole family we must grow together.  Gardening is a medium where we can do life together.  The family is the foundation and garden pursuits can lead to sustained inroads for many levels of growth and learning.  Creativity, vigor, commitment, trust, and relationships will hold us together as a community and as a school ~ this makes the outcome a win-win.

The school garden is a year round initiative to produce plants and vegetables for the families of Liberty Tech Charter School. Growing up is a principle and, just as we are born as seeds and are nurtured to produce fruit, the labor of love is ongoing and necessary to help honor and create experiences for community. The garden is physically and figuratively of primary importance so that we collide with those who dig and plant during the season of life we at Liberty Tech Charter School have in connection with students and their families. Each student is a branch from a family. The fruit may not become mature until later, but the unavoidable lessons from being a caretaker of these seedlings is reciprocal. One day, these plants will be mature and become fruitful collaborators in the society we are all growing up in.

Included through this site are the phases of our garden development process and progress. 

For additional information, contact Nicole Freeman (Email: nicole.freeman@libertytechcharter.org) or Jeff Eller (Email: jeff.eller@libertytechcharter.org or Google Number: 678.561.4382).

Enhancements to the Maverick Garden:

Fall 2024

Garden Fence: At 220 feet long and 7.5 feet high, this barrier would include two 10 foot gates for vehicle access and entrance for larger groups of people.  In this space is the vegetable garden and pollinator garden space.

Percussion Playground Shade Cover: Our school is looking to cover our percussion playground because the instruments get extremely hot in the warm weather.  This project is of high priority in respect to the health and enjoyment of a percussive playground.  The instruments on this playground are made from brushed steel and of a highly reflective sheen.  During the spring and summer months students in the special needs class visit on a regular basis but have to refrain from the space on especially warm days as the instruments reach unsafe temperatures to the touch.  We need assistance in constructing a shade sails system to guard the area of direct sunlight.  The sail system would be composed of several triangular shaped, UV resistant sails secured to posts cemented deep in the ground.  The measurements, structure, installation, and process are elements that students would benefit from in both observance and participation.  We seek a scout or a troop looking for a high impact service project.  The time is ripe to prepare now prior to warmer months.

Irrigation and Water Catchment:  Rainwater catchment is imperative to the establishment and sustainability of the growing spaces.  Raising a structure above ground level and having adequate PSI through gravity fed drip irrigation is a system that would maintain the proximal annual growing space.  Two 800 gallon containers with wide catchment basins would be sufficient for the space.  As the growth continues past the fenced area, permaculture measures created by moving earth to create swales would conserve water by preventing loss through evaporation and runoff.  In addition to water catchment, water distribution would be monitored by off-grid solar production.  

Plant Research:  Teaching through growth is paramount.  Expanded and deepened attention to jobs and careers related to agriculture apply to academic communities as well.  Local farms contribute to seed starters and plant relationships to investigate companion planting.  For example, comfrey propagation for mineral capturing and mulching aid in the compost cycle.  Monitoring this process adds to horticultural and agricultural elements surrounding the preservation and establishment of knowledge of companion planting and pest management.  University of Georgia Research in Griffin, GA is a direct connection to initiating and maintaining continued deep learning.  We seek to represent a diverse plant population that fully represents the school student population and family origin.

Spring 2025

Boot Barn Structure: The footprint would be 12 feet by 10 feet with a roof where a suspension system would be placed for outdoor rubber boots.  The boots would be suspended upside down by closely placed pegs and color coded by size.  There would be enough for two classrooms to have access to the boots as each grade level is composed of approximately two classes.  The sizes would correspond to the age and relative size necessary to outfit students.  A nearby bench seating area for changing shoes would accompany cubbies for changed shoes to be kept while the rubber boots are worn.

Food Preparation:  Upon harvesting, a station to wash and package produce presents a systematic approach to appreciating the cycle of service the growing space provides.  A counter space with sinks that recycles water back to the garden that is ADA accessible would be near the garden space.  Multiple heights accommodate all learners.

Energy Management:  Sustainable practices presented by use of solar energy to power water pumps, watering schedules through mini computers, and App-based controllers monitor the saturation of water.   This system would be responsive to soil needs by embedded sensors.  Additional power would be used to cycle the aquaponic and hydroponic systems that require pumps to cycle water through flood and drain systems within the outdoor space.

Fall 2025

Maverick Food Forest: This food forest would be intermixed with a variety of native species of fruit and nut trees.  The variety of tree species includes: plum, pear, permission, apple, Paw-paw, Serviceberry, Gummi Berry, and fig.  Mixed with this variety of trees would be a vineyard structure for muscadines and space for blueberry bushes, blackberries, and raspberries.  Nearby Elderberry trees would fill the space.  We have been working with landscape architects and students are thinking through designs and learning about the needs of these different plant species.

Spring 2026

Maverick Corridor: An area between buildings with naturally shaded seating, rain barrels, and rolling planters for our special needs students. 

Maverick Family Circle: An area in our pick-up transportation lane that would provide multi-level growing and special project development. 

Fall 2026

Maverick Amphitheater: An outdoor amphitheater-style classroom located on the campus. 

Legacy Lane: an area of herbs and plants to support pollinators.