For over twenty years, Medfield’s famous Wheelock Victory Garden has been an integral part of the second and third grade curriculum.  Wheelock students plant, harvest, prepare, cook and eat food from this garden at the annual Rocky Woods Feast.  During their time in the garden, students are introduced to botany, soil science, ecology, water conservation, seed saving, entomology and occasionally herpetology.   

Over the years the original garden shed fell into disrepair. This summer, through a collaborative effort between MCPE, Medfield architect, David Sharff, parent volunteer Scott Davenport, local Medfield vendors, Wheelock CSA and high school student volunteers, a beautiful new shed has found a home at the victory garden.

“I did most of the building at my home over the summer and with the generous help of Medfield native, Joe Beauregard, moved sections over to Wheelock for assembly. Joe also dug the holes for the footings and we were able to get a concrete donation from Tresca Bros. Steve Catanese helped tear down the old shed and cleaned up after me as I built.  Medway Lumber made numerous trips to my house for deliveries and also helped transport parts of the shed to the school,” says Davenport crediting his fellow volunteers.

MCPE provided the funding for the building supplies for the custom designed 10 x 14 garden shed.  Medfield architect, David Sharff donated the design plans. The new shed features a loft and is properly sized for storage of all tools, excludes rodents and has a gutter system on the roof leading to a rain barrel, as an example of water conservation. 

“I can stand up without hitting my head!” says Sonja Johanson, Victory Garden Coordinator.

With the goal of replacing the shed at the Wheelock Victory Garden so that the volunteers and students would have a workable storage space, Wheelock applied to MCPE for financial support for building materials last spring. MCPE provides grant funding for the Medfield Public School System for enrichment programs which are outside the parameters of the school budget. For his part Davenport hopes that Wheelock students enjoy the new building for years to come including as an outdoor classroom. A huge effort went into the design and building of the new Wheelock garden storage shed, now it stands as a symbol of victory for Medfield’s cohesive community.