This is the second year that 4-H has partnered with other youth-serving organizations to provide a gardening experience for kids. Staff from 4-H along with Americorp volunteer Linda Bias provided weekly gardening experiences for groups from the YMCA, Salvation Army, Children’s Center, Emmons Park and Recreation, and most recently Halverson Elementary summer school youth. Gardening took place Tuesdays and Wednesdays at the Halverson Elementary School site and Thursdays at the Emmons Church. This year the garden was planted late because of flooding and has continued to have problems with flooding. Gardening education continued weekly at the different site locations when the garden was too wet or the weather was too hot.

Not only do the youth get to experience taking care of the garden, but they also get to learn a lot about nature, gardening and plants. Some of the gardening topics have been composting and importance of worms, plant needs, plant parts, importance of plants, water cycles and the food chain. The Children’s Center youth get an added bonus of getting physical activity when they walk to the garden from their site.

Even though the garden has continued to be challenging, the youth have been continuing to enjoy learning about different aspects of gardening and nature.

— Submitted