The paved bricks form a walking border around the garden.
The paths meet in the center where they form a reading circle for students and teachers.
Kelley said the paths make the garden more accessible, especially for people with diabilities.
The garden got its first boost at the end of summer in 2011 when organizers were awarded a $4,000 grant from Kane County’s Fit Kids program.
That money was used to buy 15 fruit trees which are still growing and taking root.
Kelley said fruit was beginning to grow this summer and students made smoothies with the fruits that are represented in the orchards.
Last year, the garden produced 170 pumpkins and gourd which were then sold during a fundraising event called the Pumpkin Festival.
This year, Kelley said a squash bug infestation completely decimated the garden’s pumpkin crop.
In addition, the drought made growing other crops very difficult.
“We lost crops early, but then we watered like crazy,” Kelley said.
She said the corn still grew fine.
By contrast, farmers in the Midwest this year reported that growing corn was extremely difficult because of the drought but they had a bumper crop of pumpkins.
Kelley said organizers were still able to host the Pumpkin Festival using pumpkins bought outside the garden.
In addition, organizers also raised money through the Wine, Cheese and Trees fundraiser.
Proceeds were split with the city’s committee that’s dedicate to repopulating the community’s tree canopy after the recent emerald ash borer infestation.
On that committee is Geneva resident Jay Womack, of WRD Environmental, who also designed the Edible Schoolyard at WAS.
Ron Zeman, principal at WAS, said the future path of the garden is still being decided by the school community but there are a few ideas.
Although most of the growing season is in the summer when students are out of school, Zeman said there are root vegetables that grow during the fall that have short harvest times.
He said gardening can be incorporated into the students’ curriculum teaching how photosynthesis and chlorophyll work.
Zeman said he was skeptical of the garden concept when Jen Kelley first brought it to him because of the scope of the project and potential costs.
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