Something truly magical occurs when kids take up gardening. My first gardening experience was absolutely extraordinary! I walked out of my 3rd grade classroom with a tiny cabbage seedling from the Bonnie Plants 3rd Grade Cabbage Program in February. In May I was harvesting a 40 pound cabbage. I was hooked on gardening instantly.
My love for gardening grew with each seedling I planted, each vegetable I harvested, each garden I started. As Katie’s Krops grew so did the need for volunteers to help in the gardens. I put out a call for volunteers at my school. The call was answered by the youngest students, the kindergarten class. They came to plant the seeds of change in our community and in doing so they became part of the magic.
The kindergarteners took to the soil with their spades and shovels. They opened the earth and planted our gardens with such excitement. They were connecting to the growing process. They were learning where the food they eat comes from. They were soaking in the sun and learning to be kind to the earth so the earth will be kind to them. When kids begin cultivating their love for gardening at a young age, it grows as they do.
Their participation did not end on the day. My young volunteers saw the fruits of their labor. They visited the garden,helped to water their seedling and came to harvest. They were enjoying the magic that is gardening.
Those Kindergarteners who came to plant on that day are now in the second grade. I am thrilled to say that they just helped to plant our spring gardens. They, like me, have ‘grown’ to love gardening and the magic that blossoms from each and every seed they plant. It is never too young to realize the magic that can happen in the garden and appreciate the blessings the earth can provide.
