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Garden Gate:  Ideas for a kids' garden club  |
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texdane
Farmgirl Legend Chapter Leader Chapter Guru
4658 Posts
Nicole
Sandy Hook
CT
USA
4658 Posts |
 Posted - Sep 14 2010 : 6:07:04 PM
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Hi Farmgirls!
My daughter is in third grade and wants to join her school's new "Garden Club". I talked to the mom who is running it, and am going to be helping, too. She is looking for ideas, and after telling her about the Sisterhood, told her I'd start a thread to see if you all had any ideas or experience you could pass us. The kids range in age from kindergarten to fourth grade. She had a problem last year getting the kids to weed, so I suggested 5 - 10 mins of weeding to start and whoever picked the most weeds got a little prize (pencil, sticker, seeds, etc). She thought too of planting lettuce and herbs and making a salad. There is a compost heap, and she said the "butterfly garden" needs help. This isn't funded through the PTA, so they don't have alot to work with. Any ideas?
Nicole
Farmgirl Sister #1155
KNITTER, JAM-MAKER AND MOM EXTRAORDINAIRE |
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KathyC
True Blue Farmgirl
583 Posts
Kathy
Gastonia
NC
USA
583 Posts |
Posted - Sep 15 2010 : 10:25:13 AM
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Nicole,
I may have a book I can send you, I'll see if I can find it tonight and let you.
Kathy |
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texdane
Farmgirl Legend Chapter Leader Chapter Guru
4658 Posts
Nicole
Sandy Hook
CT
USA
4658 Posts |
Posted - Sep 15 2010 : 3:36:12 PM
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Oh wow, Kathy, thank you. I am always continually surprised and touched by the kindness of everyone here.
Nicole
Farmgirl Sister #1155
KNITTER, JAM-MAKER AND MOM EXTRAORDINAIRE |
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Cindy Lou
True Blue Farmgirl
2325 Posts
Susan
Lonsdale
MN
USA
2325 Posts |
Posted - Sep 15 2010 : 3:40:43 PM
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What a great idea! How about having the kids plant things to take home, or give as gifts? You may know someone with a massive plant that needs pruning and could provide the start. There's one called "Wandering Jew", sorry I don't know the "politically correct" name. Half a sweet potato grows gorgeous vines. the top half of a carrot can grow and the top makes a pretty fern-like plant. We just learned how to root a grape cutting this summer, that was fascinating. I used to help out with a after school science club and we did a series about gardening. I'll check back and look for some ideas, and useful web sites that could give you some ideas.
Susan
"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"
Mary Oliver |
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texdane
Farmgirl Legend Chapter Leader Chapter Guru
4658 Posts
Nicole
Sandy Hook
CT
USA
4658 Posts |
Posted - Sep 15 2010 : 3:52:38 PM
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Susan,
Thanks! I love the idea of having the kids being able to take cuttings home!
Nicole
Farmgirl Sister #1155
KNITTER, JAM-MAKER AND MOM EXTRAORDINAIRE |
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natesgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1735 Posts
angela
martinsville
indiana
USA
1735 Posts |
Posted - Sep 16 2010 : 09:17:10 AM
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There are a few websites I looked up a few years back that specialized in childrens gardening. I found them by just googling childrens gardens. I have gotten my DD to weed her garden with the promise that she gets to have the plants she helps weed and every 10 minutes of weedin gets 20 minutes of playtime. I don't know if any of that helps.
Farmgirl Sister #1438
God - Gardening - Family - Is anything else important? |
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KathyC
True Blue Farmgirl
583 Posts
Kathy
Gastonia
NC
USA
583 Posts |
Posted - Sep 16 2010 : 6:17:06 PM
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Nicole,
I didn't forget about the book, just have been very busy and hubby took me out to dinner last night and we got home late. Back at work tonight to get some things caught up. I don't have internet at home, don't even have tv service, so I'm just on at lunch or if we come back at night. If I don't have it tomorrow I promise I will look for it over the weekend. If I remember it's a book just about group activities for gardening with kids.
Kathy |
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texdane
Farmgirl Legend Chapter Leader Chapter Guru
4658 Posts
Nicole
Sandy Hook
CT
USA
4658 Posts |
Posted - Sep 16 2010 : 7:15:58 PM
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Oh, Kathy, no worries! You are too sweet. The first meeting isn't until Sept. 22nd. :)
Nicole
Farmgirl Sister #1155
KNITTER, JAM-MAKER AND MOM EXTRAORDINAIRE |
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Jessi Lynn
True Blue Farmgirl
144 Posts
New York
USA
144 Posts |
Posted - Sep 19 2010 : 7:38:37 PM
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check out: www.kidsgardening.com
great resources and resonable prices if purchasing from their on-line store (they have a great book selection) |
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pumpkinvine
True Blue Farmgirl
179 Posts
Amy
USA
179 Posts |
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KathyC
True Blue Farmgirl
583 Posts
Kathy
Gastonia
NC
USA
583 Posts |
Posted - Sep 22 2010 : 10:08:55 AM
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Nicole,
I brought the book to work today so can mail it out tomorrow. Its called "LET'S GROW! 72 GARDENING ADVENTURES WITH CHILDREN". It teaches organic gardening, composting, worms, veggies, flowers, trees, indoor gardening, herb gardens and so much more. Has lots of fun projects too.
As far as funding, if you ask for donations from garden centers, local and places like Lowes or Home Depot, most are willing to make donations of seeds, dirt, pots etc for nonprofit groups. Most just need a letter from the school for tax purposes.
Hope you have fun with this.
Send me an email with your address please.
Kathy |
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texdane
Farmgirl Legend Chapter Leader Chapter Guru
4658 Posts
Nicole
Sandy Hook
CT
USA
4658 Posts |
Posted - Sep 22 2010 : 10:22:41 AM
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Oh Kathy!! Thank you! Sending you an email now.
Hugs,
Nicole
Farmgirl Sister #1155
KNITTER, JAM-MAKER AND MOM EXTRAORDINAIRE |
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KathyC
True Blue Farmgirl
583 Posts
Kathy
Gastonia
NC
USA
583 Posts |
Posted - Sep 23 2010 : 3:14:37 PM
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Nicole,
Your book is on the way, dropped it at the post office today at lunch.
I'll send you an email with the tracking #.
Enjoy,
Kathy |
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texdane
Farmgirl Legend Chapter Leader Chapter Guru
4658 Posts
Nicole
Sandy Hook
CT
USA
4658 Posts |
Posted - Sep 28 2010 : 5:52:59 PM
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Kathy,
Thank you so much for mailing me that wonderful book on gardening with children. It has so many neat ideas! My daughter and I aleady have looked through it and gotten some great ideas. Can't wait to share it with her garden club tomorrow. So sweet of you to do that.
Farmgirl Hugs,
Nicole
Farmgirl Sister #1155
KNITTER, JAM-MAKER AND MOM EXTRAORDINAIRE |
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KathyC
True Blue Farmgirl
583 Posts
Kathy
Gastonia
NC
USA
583 Posts |
Posted - Sep 29 2010 : 10:35:02 AM
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You are so welcome, glad you like it.
Kathy |
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texdane
Farmgirl Legend Chapter Leader Chapter Guru
4658 Posts
Nicole
Sandy Hook
CT
USA
4658 Posts |
Posted - Oct 04 2010 : 7:15:37 PM
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Update: We have had two meetings so far. The kids are so cute and really do great teamwork. We had to cut down this huge sunflower that was over six feet tall. They all had more fun digging out the seeds! The weeds are gone, we planted some daffodil bulbs, and got them to weed for a prize, lol. Thanks for the great websites, ideas, and book! Any other ideas (or indoor gardening ideas for winter) will be appreciated! You girls are the best!!
Nicole
Farmgirl Sister #1155
KNITTER, JAM-MAKER AND MOM EXTRAORDINAIRE |
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LeslieAnne
True Blue Farmgirl
71 Posts
LeslieAnne
Shallowater
Texas
USA
71 Posts |
Posted - Oct 11 2010 : 1:45:15 PM
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How 'bout a bonsai tree for something to do this winter?.. a little tree, just their size...
LeslieAnne...westTexas |
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Cindy Lou
True Blue Farmgirl
2325 Posts
Susan
Lonsdale
MN
USA
2325 Posts |
Posted - Oct 11 2010 : 4:57:09 PM
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Hi Nicole,
I've been thinking about you and since this is an ongoing project, I suppose you would welcome ongoing ideas. How about checking with the county extension office, if they have them in CT. Here you could find out about adult Master Gardeners,
in MN they do a certain number of community service hours and might be interested in helping out. If 4-H is linked to the extension service you could check there. You might find a connection with a 4-H club with members older than you kids who would like to volunteer, community service looks good on scholarship applications, for example and they just may have a love of gardening to share. Also MN 4-H has project bulletins which are workbook type format for different project areas at various age levels, there may be a small charge for non-4-H members. If CT doesn't have them e-mail me and I can check out what's available at our local level.
Best wishes!
Susan
"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"
Mary Oliver |
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Woodswoman
True Blue Farmgirl
512 Posts
Jennifer
Altamont
NY
USA
512 Posts |
Posted - Oct 15 2010 : 5:25:07 PM
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Hi there-
I coordinate a community garden at my school. It is older kids (middle school).
A couple of tips. I start the kids out by training them in "first we work, then we play". They know they have to do some weeding at the begining, then we move on to more fun things.
Letting the kids eat what they plant is great - they love it!
And, we donate a lot of our produce to a local food bank. It makes the kids feel good about helping others.
Good luck!
Jennifer
Jennifer
Farmgirl Sister #104
"Nature brings to every time and season some beauties of its own".
-Charles Dickens |
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Garden Gate: Ideas for a kids' garden club |
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Ideas for a kids' garden club
