Edible Gardens

Being a long-time butterfly gardener, attracting wildlife to the garden became second nature, but growing fruits and vegetables was a mystery to me. So when it came time to lend my hand to help create an edible garden for kindergarteners, I did what I've always done when presented with a new task - conduct research and experiment. Gardening is trial and error, that's what makes it fun and fascinating! You learn more from your mistakes than your successes. Treating gardening as a GREAT BIG EXPERIMENT and involving kids in the learning process turned out to be as much fun as connecting them to nature.

Whether you are conducting your edible garden experiment at home or in school, the basic elements and rewards are the same. Kids love to learn and learning about where their food comes from helps them appreciate what you are offering them to eat. The number one benefit from our edible garden in school was that kids who previously fought their parents about eating salads and other vegetables started trying them at home with great interest. Many parents were so inspired that they began veggie gardening at home too.

Kids Garden Hat from Newspaper

As children go through school there are just some crafts that you as a parent always look forward to, this craft is one of them. For kindergarten teachers, making these garden hats out of recycled newsprint was a

way to celebrate spring. Here we incorporate the craft instructions from Foldingtrees.com (http://foldingtrees.com) with some material modifications.

Get creative, you'd be surprised at what items you have on hand that can be used to make this hat craft unique. This is a great project for school, after-school clubs, garden clubs, camps, birthday parties, or just spending quality time with the family. The kids pictured here really enjoyed making and decorating their garden hats during a community event hosted by a garden club.

The Caterpillar To Butterfly Craft

The arrival of spring and summer in the garden brings many exciting opportunities for learning and exploration.

What's more fun and educational for kids than to create a caterpillar that becomes a butterfly!

While children are making their caterpillars and butterflies, you could also share your butterfly knowledge or ask them questions about some basic facts including: the butterfly life cycle, metamorphosis, special caterpillar food plants, butterfly anatomy (upper and lower wings), camouflage (scale colors), and the function of antennae.

This three dimensional garden craft is easy and fun for all ages!

IF YOU PLANT IT...THEY WILL COME!

Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp,

but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you. ~Nathaniel Hawthorne

What’s more whimsical and carefree than a butterfly flitting about? Growing plants for nectar is only half the story. You’ll also need plants for egg laying!

Help protect the environment by gardening for nature! Create a butterfly garden and share nature with family, friends and neighbors.

Butterflies love chaos…loosen up…accept a bit of disarray and the results will be rewarding! Practice WILDSCAPING! This often means spending less time maintaining, leaving more time for enjoying your garden!

Location is important! Choose a spot where you can view the garden from a window or sitting area. You’ll need Full sun, 6 or more hours a day, but some filtered sun is okay. For limited space, consider container gardening. A site sheltered from heavy winds, protected by trees, shrubs or walls works best. Stones set in sunny locations give butterflies spots to warm their bodies for flying.

PLANNING THE SCHOOL GARDEN

Dream BIG…Start Small…THINK PHASES

Step 1: Develop the Garden Concept or Theme (e.g. nature-pollinators, water-wise, sensory, fruits & vegetables, or some of each!)

Step 2: Identify Leadership/Support & Seek Administrative Approval (identify a local garden club to partner with parents, key teachers-early adopters, principal, & PTA)

Step 3: Propose Site Options (adopt an existing area or create a new one – obtain district approval; design it with proximity to classrooms; access to irrigation either auto or hand, be realistic!)

Those tiny stickers that you have to peel off your fruit and vegetables at the grocery stores are not just there to make sure you are charged the right price at the checkout stand. They have a hold important information if you know how to read them.

Make Life Better: One Thing You Can Do Today

EAT GREENS!

You've heard you need to eat more of them, but you don't do it.  It may be because you haven't found the right ones, or the right preparation. Well keep looking! They are GREAT for you! 

The USDA has imparoved its dietary recommendations with the release of its new "My Plate," a visual guide that provides a blueprint for eating a healthy meal and a supporting "ChooseMyPlate.gov" website. Nutrition experts at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) in conjunction with colleagues at Harvard Health Publications  have reviewed "My Plate"