Mr. Golden Sun

 At the beginning of the Pantry Garden, open fields were surrounding it. After a while, apartment buildings began popping up around the garden. Val was worried about the amount of Sun the garden would get as a result, but luckily, the buildings simply provided security and blocked the wind from damaging the crops harshly. Why is the Sun so important? The first-grade science experiments about photosynthesis must be popping into your minds right now. Essentially plants need energy to grow. Their main source of energy comes from the Sun. Plants take in carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) from the air and soil during photosynthesis. The water is oxidized within the plant cell, meaning it loses electrons, while the carbon dioxide is reduced, meaning it gains electrons. This transforms the water into oxygen and the carbon dioxide into glucose. The plant then releases the oxygen back into the air and stores energy within the glucose molecules. Herbivores then obtain this energy by eating plants, and carnivores obtain it by eating herbivores. Plants also develop their color through the Sun. Inside the plant cell are small organelles called chloroplasts, which store the energy of sunlight. According to National Geographic, a light-absorbing pigment within the thylakoid membranes of the chloroplast is a light-absorbing pigment called chlorophyll, which is responsible for giving the plant its green color. Mr. Golden Sun, please keep shining down on the Pantry Garden!