School yard gardening

[Amy Kilpatric]

We recently established a small "nibbling garden" near our science classroom. The first through third grade children have enjoyed preparing the soil, planting the seeds, harvesting the produce, and even pulling the weeds. We call it the "nibbling garden" because we can not produce enough to food to feed the school, but we can go out to the garden and pick strawberries, lettuce, peas, radishes, broccoli, and a variety of herbs to taste or smell. This year the students planted beets. We recently harvested these and roasted them so that each child could try a new food item. Our normally picky eating second graders were all eager to try a beet appetizer. It has not ceased to amaze me how the children will try out a food that they would normally turn up their noses at if they grew it themselves.

Amy Kilpatric

Science Educator

Community School

[Suz Lipman]

Hi Amy, this is great! I hope you'll join the Natural Teachers Network and continue to share. There is a lot of discussion about school gardens.

This is the group:

http://childrenandnature.ning.com/group/naturalteachers

These are the discussions. If you don't see one that's quite right, feel free to start your own:

http://childrenandnature.ning.com/group/naturalteachers/forum