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Transcript: Vaida
Green Squad
Descriptive Transcript
[Upbeat music]
[Opening credits] “TVO kids original”
DESCRIPTION: In a video recording, a child is standing outside. She is wearing a gray hoodie and a pink shirt.
[Text reads] “Vaida.”
VAIDA: Hi. I'm Vaida. I'm 11 years old.
THE GREEN SQUAD: Hi Vaida!
DESCRIPTION: Sitting in a colourful living room is the Green Squad! Shakira has long brown hair and is wearing a purple shirt and a skirt; Eric has brown hair and is wearing a green shirt and cargo pants; Lisa has light brown braided hair and is wearing a white shirt and a denim dress, and Kyle has brown hair and is wearing a blue flannel shirt and jeans. The Green Squad sits in front of a tablet, waving and smiling at the screen.
VAIDA: I really love singing, dancing. I also really love the outdoors. I tried to grow an apple tree, but it didn't grow, so I want to try again with pumpkins.
DESCRIPTION: Vaida dances with her friends and plays in the fall leaves,
SHAKIRA: Growing a whole tree can't be easy.
KYLE: Great idea to try pumpkins.
VAIDA: I like pumpkins because they're fun for Halloween. You can eat them, and nothing goes to waste.
LISA: How about some scarily delicious Halloween treats?
ERIC: Homegrown food is the best. I'm in.
Hey Squad,
[Text reads] Hey Squad can you help me grow pumpkins?
[Upbeat Music]
DESCRIPTION: In the opening sequence, Shakira, Lisa, Eric, and Kyle jump out. Bright, vibrant colours swirl in the background.
DESCRIPTION: Lisa is holding a monogrammed woven tote bag and is smiling. Illustrations of cooking surround her.
[Text reads] “Lisa”
DESCRIPTION: Kyle opens up his monogrammed backpack and smiles. Illustrations of a bike, a skateboard, and a garbage truck surround him.
[Text reads] “Kyle”
DESCRIPTION: Shakira stands with her hands on her hips, holding a monogrammed woven tote bag. Illustrations of a sewing machine, scissors, bobby pins, and fabric forms surround her.
[Text reads] “Shakira”
DESCRIPTION: Eric is smiling and holding a monogrammed canvas tote bag. Illustrations of watering plants, fences, and gardening tools surround him.
[Text reads] “Eric”
DESCRIPTION: The Green Squad all dance together.
[Title] “TVOKids Presents: Green Squad
[Opening credits] “An Apartment 11 Production”
DESCRIPTION: The opening sequence ends.
DESCRIPTION: Carrying their monogrammed tote bags, Lisa and Eric walk up to Vaida’s front porch, where Vaida, her Mom, and her four siblings are.
LISA: Hi, I'm Lisa.
ERIC: And I'm Eric.
VAIDA: I'm Vaida. This is my Mom. And I have four other siblings.
[Text reads] “Mom, Brother Christian, Sister Daniella, Sister Katrina.”
DESCRIPTION: Vaida’s mother has brown hair and wears a pink shirt. Daniella has brown hair and wears a purple shirt and a silver vest. Katrina has brown hair and wears a pink shirt and a matching silver vest. Christian has brown hair and wears an orange shirt.
ERIC: That's a big family.
LISA: Well, we're excited to help you grow some pumpkins.
ERIC: Let's check out your backyard to see what we're working with. Okay.
ERIC: Come on.
VAIDA: Well, this is it.
DESCRIPTION: Vaida shows Eric and Lisa her backyard. It has a vast open green space and a playground set near the back fence.
ERIC: This backyard is amazing. Pumpkins need a lot of space and sun. And we have all of that here.
LISA: Can you show us where you planted the apple tree?
VAIDA: Sure. I planted it right there.
DESCRIPTION: Vaida walks Eric and Lisa over to some benches and points to an empty spot in the grass. They sit down.
ERIC: How did you find planting an apple tree?
VAIDA: I was eating an apple one day, and then I went outside the next day I dug a hole and I planted the apple.
ERIC: Why do you think the seeds stopped growing?
VAIDA: I forgot to water or I watered it too much.
ERIC: Growing apple trees from seeds is really tough. And pumpkins are great choice. They're much easier to grow than apple trees and grow faster too.
LISA: Why do you want to grow pumpkins?
DESCRIPTION: Pumpkin graphics appear.
VAIDA: I can carve them for Halloween, make pumpkin pie and nothing goes to waste.
ERIC: I think you know that now is not the time for planting pumpkins. But we can help prepare your backyard for the growing season.
LISA: First, we're going to go on a little… adventure
DESCRIPTION: Lisa, Eric, and Vaida present to drive a log car.
[Text reads] “Green Squad”
[Upbeat Music]
DESCRIPTION: In montage, videos play of scarecrows, pumpkin patches, and farms. Lisa, Eric, and Vaida approach a farmer with brown hair, a beard, and wearing a gray shirt.
LISA: Vaida, this is Thomas.
THOMAS: Nice to meet you.
LISA: He and his family have owned and worked this farm for generations.
THOMAS: So we've actually came here in around the 1850's, that's when we started farming. And pumpkins are only just a new addition.
ERIC: What kinds of pumpkins do you grow?
THOMAS: So I grow about 20 to 25 varieties and they all have like really cool names.
ERIC: Ladies and gentlemen, introducing…
DESCRIPTION: Eric, Lisa, Vaida, and Thomas hold up each pumpkin. Colourful graphics surround them.
[Text reads] “Crystal Star”
[Text reads] “Yellow Mellow”
[Text reads] “Goosebumps”
[Text reads] “Fireball”
[Text reads] “Field trip”
LISA: Vaida, let's head out to the patch and pick out some of your favorites.
DESCRIPTION: Lisa, Vaida, and Eric walk into a pumpkin patch. Videos of pumpkins play.
LISA: Well, we've got a lot to choose from.
ERIC: What most people think of as a pumpkin, big, brown and orange has been bred that way because they make such great jack-o'-lanterns. But there's so many different kinds of pumpkins that are native to the Americas. Some of them are called
[Text reads] “Heirloom Varieties”
ERIC: which means they've been the same for hundreds of years.
DESCRIPTION: Eric, Vaida, and Lisa look at pumpkins in the patch.
ERIC: Wow, look at that bumpy one. Check out these vines that pumpkins grow on. They help bring water and food to the pumpkins, and they can grow up to
[Text reads] “9 metres long”
VAIDA: Where's the end?
ERIC: I know the vine is so long. We've found the end. Look at these little tendrils.
DESCRIPTION: Eric picks up a pumpkin vine. Small, curly tendrils curl out of the vine.
VAIDA: They're really curly.
ERIC: The anchor, the vine to the ground and protect it from the wind.
VAIDA: That's really cool.
LISA: Vaida, look at this pumpkin leaf. What does this shape remind you of?
VAIDA: A heart.
DESCRIPTION: Heart graphics appear. Vaida and Eric make heart symbols with their hands.
LISA: Yeah.
ERIC: They grow super big to help soak up the sun and make the pumpkin grow super fast
LISA: Let's pick a pumpkin. She's so round.
DESCRIPTION: Lisa picks up a big, yellow pumpkin in her arms.
LISA: It's almost golden.
ERIC: This one? A White one?
VAIDA: Yeah. Look at that one. It looks like a watermelon.
DESCRIPTION: Eric and Vaida each pick a pumpkin as well. They put them in Eric’s tote bag and bring them to Thomas.
LISA: Well, we picked our pumpkins.
THOMAS: One more thing you need to grow a pumpkin is you need to use compost.
DESCRIPTION: Thomas picks up compost with his hands out of a bucket.
THOMAS: It's made up of a bunch of organic matter, including animal manure. But the pumpkins love it.
ERIC: It's going to be perfect for our garden. And there's one more thing that could really help.
DESCRIPTION: Eric takes a handful of straw from a bale.
ERIC: Can we take some of the straw?
THOMAS: For sure!
ERIC: Straw is perfect because it keeps in water, It keeps away weeds and insulates the soil, which makes it perfect for the garden during the winter. Don't you find it looks like shredded cheese?
DESCRIPTION: A graphic of cheese and a cheese grater appears.
VAIDA: Yeah, but why are we talking about cheese?
ERIC: You'll see.
[Upbeat Music]
DESCRIPTION: Lisa, Vaida, and Eric play on a bale of hay.
[Text reads] “Green Squad”
DESCRIPTION: Back at Vaida’s house, Eric and Vaida talk in the garden. Graphics of lasagna appear.
ERIC: Today we're going to be making something called a lasagna garden. Essentially, what it is, is we're going to be creating layers exactly like a lasagna. Instead of pasta, sauce, meat, pasta, sauce. It's going to be cardboard, soil, straw, cardboard, soil straw.
DESCRIPTION: Eric stacks his hands on top of each other over and over again.
ERIC: And during the winter, the garden will decompose and prep your garden for the spring.
ERIC: Glove up.
DESCRIPTION: Vaida and Eric put on gloves. They then begin to lay down sheets of cardboard.
ERIC: First layer of our lasagna is cardboard.
VAIDA: Cool.
ERIC: But we need to get it wet.
DESCRIPTION: Vaida sprays the cardboard with a hose, then her and Eric shovel on straw then straw.
ERIC: All right. Yeah. That's it. Get every corner.
ERIC: And cut it off. The next layer is soil. That's it. Spread it all around. Look, it's already looking like a garden.
VAIDA: Do we need to put another layer?
ERIC: Yeah. I think it's time for some straw. Like shredded cheese on a pizza and lasagna. We're looking to go about 50/50. Half soil and half straw. Load it up.
VAIDA: This is going to be a cheesy lasagna.
ERIC: Now we wet the straw.
VAIDA: It's melting the cheese.
ERIC: Looks delicious.
DESCRIPTION: Vaida and Eric continue to layer the cardboard, dirt, and straw. They water with the hose in between layers.
ERIC NARRATES: More and more people are growing fresh, chemical free food. Saves money, saves trips to the store, reduces packaging and cuts down on shipping and pollution. It also tastes better and is more nutritious. Growing food is a fun way to connect with nature
ERIC: And now for our super compost.
DESCRIPTION: Eric and Vaida spread compost over the last layer of dirt.
ERIC: This super compost from the pump farm is going to help feed your garden and the pumpkins. You ready for the final layer of straw?
DESCRIPTION: Vaida puts down a last layer of straw, then waters it with the hose.
VAIDA: Let it rain.
ERIC: Let it rain.
ERIC: The lasagna garden looks good.
VAIDA: Yeah, it looks really good.
ERIC: In the spring, this whole pile will be soil and the seeds could just go right in there. Have any idea where we're going to get any pumpkin seeds?
VAIDA: From the pumpkins we picked?
ERIC: From the pumpkins we picked!
DESCRIPTION: Later in the day, Eric and Vaida sit at a picnic table with their pumpkins, two cutting boards, a glass bowl filled with water, some spoons and knives, and a square-framed sieve.
ERIC: Our garden is going to have the best success if we only grow one variety.
DESCRIPTION: Vaida picks up a green pumpkin.
VAIDA: This one.
ERIC: Bring it on to the cutting board Isn't that a funky looking one? When you're using a knife, make sure you're always with an adult.
DESCRIPTION: Eric cuts the pumpkin in half.
ERIC: Let's get scooping.
DESCRIPTION: With spoons, Eric and Vaida scoop out the insides of the pumpkins.
ERIC: All right. I think we got all the seeds. Now let's put our pumpkin to the side and get these seeds. All right, drop your seeds in the bowl of water.
DESCRIPTION: Eric and Vaida put the seeds in the glass bowl of water, and then transfer them to a towel.
ERIC: Let's get them out and dry. It's time to pick the biggest ones because they'll be most likely to grow in the spring.
VAIDA: This one might be a big one.
ERIC: We'll let them dry for a couple of weeks, and in the spring, we'll be able to take them out, plant them right in your lasagna and beautiful grey pumpkins will grow.
VAIDA: That sounds like fun.
DESCRIPTION: Lisa runs up to them.
LISA: These are some nice looking seeds. Now we've actually got to figure to do with the rest of these pumpkins Vaida, I'll meet you in the kitchen.
ERIC: Vaida, you did amazing today. I'll see you later. Pumpkin bump!
DESCRIPTION: Vaida and Eric each pick up a pumpkin and bump them together.
[Upbeat Music]
DESCRIPTION: The Green Squad dances together over a bright pink and green background.
[Text reads] “Green Beat”
DESCRIPTION: A photograph of Eric appears over a video montage of him and Vaida gardening.
ERIC: Making a lasagna garden is a fun way to get ready for spring planting.
DESCRIPTION: A photograph montage plays of children in nature and around an information stand.
[Stand signs read] “The Green Herons.”
DESCRIPTION: The Green Herons hold signs with turtles on them.
[Signs read] “Watch for turtles, we look like rocks, drive slow and pay attention.”
ERIC: The Green Herons are an awesome group of young planet heroes who have come up with another cool way to get ready, and they're spreading the love around their whole neighborhood. They do all kinds of things to help the earth, but their biggest mission is protecting the native plants and pollinators where they live.
DESCRIPTION: On a map, photographs of butterflies and flowers are marked.
ERIC: Some native plants need their seeds to freeze so they can grow in the spring. To make it easier for people to grow a native pollinator garden. They do something really awesome called
[Text reads] “Winter Sowing”
DESCRIPTION: The Green Herons work in a greenhouse in the wintertime. An animated infographic plays of a plastic jug being filled with dirt and seeds.
ERIC: They fill plastic jugs with soil and seeds to be left outside all winter. Then they gift them to friends and neighbours. By spring, the seeds have sprouted and are ready to pop into the ground. Instant pollinator garden. Thanks Green Herons for helping our planet.
[Upbeat Music]
DESCRIPTION: Eric, Vaida, and Lisa dress up like farmers and smile.
[Text reads] “Green Squad”
DESCRIPTION: Later in the day, Lisa and Vaida are in the kitchen. There are pumpkins on the countertops and kitchen island.
LISA: Okay Vaida, we are literally surrounded by pumpkins. Do you think you can eat all of these?
VAIDA: Yeah.
LISA: I'd love to see you try. But I love the confidence. But to be on the safe side, I think we should make some pumpkin puree. So when we make pumpkin puree, we are gonna freeze it, and then it in a bunch of yummy meals. Can you think of any?
DESCRIPTION: Graphics of baked goods appear as Vaida lists them.
VAIDA: Pumpkin Pie. Pumpkin cookies, muffins and bread?
LISA: Clearly you have got pumpkin pie on the mind. And then you can also make savoury meals like risotto and chilli, and soup and lasagna like your garden.
DESCRIPTION: Lisa picks up a small, round, orange pumpkin.
LISA: So let's get started on this pumpkin puree. The pumpkin that we're going to use is this one because it's actually called a pie pumpkin
[Text reads] “Pie Pumpkin”
LISA: which means that it's sweet. So I think it's gonna be really good for the puree. First step is to cut it in half. There we go. All right, now we've got to scoop the seeds out.
DESCRIPTION: Lisa cuts the pumpkin in half, and her and Vaida pull it apart. Then, they begin to scoop out the guts.
LISA: Today we're actually going to be using the outside of the pumpkin. Great, looks like you're done. So now we'll just get the parchment paper out.
DESCRIPTION: Lisa and Vaida rip a piece of parchment paper and lay it down on a tray.
LISA: There we go. Place that down. Put the pumpkins on the baking sheet. Great. So we're actually gonna put them face down just so that they don't roll around in the oven.
DESCRIPTION: Lisa puts the pumpkin slices in the oven. Once they come out, she peels off the skin and cuts them up.
LISA: So now we are going to chop up these pumpkins and put them in the food process to make puree. With puree, you can either store and freeze it for later, or use it to make something yummy right away. We are going to make pumpkin fruit leather.
DESCRIPTION: Vaida and Lisa blend together the pumpkin.
[Lisa shouts over the noise of the blender]
LISA SHOUTS: Okay, I think it's done! Thumbs up?
DESCRIPTION: Vaida smiles and nods.
LISA: Yeah! All right.
DESCRIPTION: They turn off the blender and scoop the pumpkin puree into a bowl.
VAIDA: Smells really good.
LISA: Now we've got to make it nice and sweet. We're going to add two tablespoons of brown sugar. Next ingredient, local maple syrup.
DESCRIPTION: Vaida adds the ingredients to the puree.
LISA: We're going to be using two tablespoons. Perfect.
DESCRIPTION: Lisa holds up a spice jar. Graphics of different spices appear as she lists them.
LISA: Pumpkin spice is made up of all sorts of like different seasonings that taste like a pumpkin pie like cinnamon and allspice and nutmeg. It'll be really good.
VAIDA: How much do I have to put in?
LISA: Shake it until your heart is content and filled with pumpkin.
DESCRIPTION: Vaida puts in the spices.
LISA: Perfect. Now we mix. And now we're going to put it on a sheet pan. First, let's ditch this old parchment paper. It's compostable, of course.
DESCRIPTION: Lisa throws out the old parchment paper and gets a new sheet. They spread the puree over the sheet and level it out.
LISA: And grab a new sheet. We gotta pour it out. So now we've got to level it out. So we're going to use this and just spread it side to side until we have it all in a nice even layer, sort of baked evenly. Now we've got to put it in the oven.
VAIDA: For how long?
LISA: A really long time. It goes in at a really low temperature.
[Text reads] “185 F/85 C degrees”
[Text reads] “5 Hours”
VAIDA: That's really long.
DESCRIPTION: A clock graphic appears. While Lisa and Vaida wait, they play Pat-A-Cake, Go Fish, and take a nap.
LISA: Go fish!
VAIDA: Ugh.
LISA: Ok Vaida, I think we have waited long enough.
DESCRIPTION: Lisa has taken the fruit leather out of the oven.
LISA: Now we can use these cookie cutters, cut our fruit leather into some fun shapes.
LISA: Okay, we've really got to press down.
DESCRIPTION: Lisa and Vaida press the cookie cutters into the fruit leather.
[Lisa and Vaida grunt with effort]
[Text reads] “GRRRRRRRRR”
LISA: All right, my pumpkin came right out.
LISA: Perfect. If you take it out.
DESCRIPTION: Vaida’s fruit leather is shaped like a witch’s hat.
LISA: Very witchy! Should we give it a try?
VAIDA: Yes!
DESCRIPTION: Lisa and Vaida take bites and nod at each other.
VAIDA: It's pretty good.
LISA: Yeah, we did a good job.
VAIDA: I know.
[Lisa laughs]
[Upbeat Music]
DESCRIPTION: The Green Squad dances around over a bright yellow background.
[Text reads] “Green Beat”
DESCRIPTION: Photographs of Lisa and Eric appear—graphics of pumpkins, compost, landfills, scientists, oil, plastics, and electricity play.
LISA: Pumpkins are great for eating.
ERIC: And for halloweening
LISA: But actually, they're good for more than that. After Halloween, there's always a lot of pumpkin waste, which often ends up in landfills. Scientists around the world have been looking for ways to use the leftover pumpkin, and they've come with some pretty amazing stuff. Oil from the seeds can be turned into biofuel and used to power cars and buses. The peels can be recycled into packaging that could replace plastic in food wrapping. It can even be turned into electricity to save energy.
ERIC: Now that's what I call a super food.
[Upbeat Music]
DESCRIPTION: Lisa, Vaida, and Eric hide behind a scarecrow.
[Text reads] “Green Squad”
DESCRIPTION: Back in the kitchen, Lisa and Vaida are eating fruit leather together.
LISA: What do you think you're going to make with pumpkin puree?
VAIDA: Pumpkin pie.
LISA: I should have guessed. Well, I wish I could be there to taste it. And to see how your seed drying turns out. How do you feel about planting your own pumpkin patch in the spring?
VAIDA: I feel excited.
You got this girl! Good luck.
[Upbeat Music]
DESCRIPTION: Shakira, Lisa, Eric, and Kyle dance around over a bright purple and green background.
[Text reads] “Check- In”
DESCRIPTION: The Green Squad sits on a couch facing a tablet.
LISA: Let's check in with Vaida.
VAIDA: Hi Eric and Lisa! I'm excited to show you how my pumpkin seeds are doing.
DESCRIPTION: In a video recording, Vaida shows her pumpkin seeds drying in her garage.
VAIDA: They're definitely drying. This is a good sign that they're ready to go into those envelopes, into the mason jar and into the fridge. I'm really excited to plant the pumpkin seeds this spring so I can have pumpkins for next Halloween. I think the lasagna garden is looking pretty well. I don't think there is going to be any more of the cardboard because the worms might have ate that up.
DESCRIPTION: Vaida’s garden has grass sprouting from the sides.
ERIC: You're absolutely right, Vaida on that one. You can see grass growing out of the pumpkin patch. The worms are in there. They're working their magic, and it'll be ready for the spring when Vaida is able to plant her pumpkins.
VAIDA: We made a lot of pumpkin puree together, but we used it all.
DESCRIPTION: Vaida is baking in the kitchen.
SHAKIRA: Oh, and it looks like they're making something else as well?
KYLE: Could it be?
DESCRIPTION: Vaida puts a pumpkin pie on the counter.
VAIDA: We're going to make, like, a thousand batches of pumpkin pie.
LISA: Oh yeah. I love it.
VAIDA: I didn't think it was possible, but now I love pumpkins even more.
THE GREEN SQUAD: Yeah!
ERIC: Oh, good job Vaida! And you're exactly right. The lasagna garden is going to be ready for the spring, and you're going to be able to have even more pumpkin and maybe thousands of pumpkin pies.
LISA: Somehow Vaida is going to eat pumpkins for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And I am here for it.
KYLE: It's super great that she's doing this all at her house, right? You know, of course, saving one that would come from getting it at the store somewhere else, right?
LISA: That is so true. She can grow all different kinds of fruits and vegetables and preserve them in a similar way to how we did with the pumpkin puree.
VAIDA: The squad most definitely helped me achieve my goals.
ERIC: You grow girl!
[Text reads] “Go Vaida!”
[End credits] TVOKids. Apartment 11 Productions. The Squad: Eric Arsenault, Shakira Botticelli, Kyle Meagher, Lisa Pryce. Creator and Executive Producer: Jonathan Finkelstein, Producer: Stephanie Blanshay. Canada Media Fund, Quebec Film and Television, Canada, ACTRA, AQTIS 514 IATSE.
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