Gardening with Kids

It’s finally gardening time! Woohoo! My man and I spent a great portion of the last few weeks putting in our garden. We worked hard, first putting up a fence, then digging beds and adding soil, then finally planting and watering daily. We’ve been sore, exhausted and sunburned most days, but gardening is such a deeply rewarding experience that we love every minute of it. Working outside, planting baby veggies and watching them grow, develops in each of us a strong connection to the land on which we live. Then having the plants give back to us ten-fold the energy we put in is one of the most fulfilling and exciting parts of summer.

While planting squash on Saturday I was struck by how lucky we are to have the time, space and resources to develop such an intimate relationship with our food. I realize that, for many people, gardening on a large scale is out of the question. How blessed we are, then, to be able to plant enough this year that we probably will not need to buy produce all summer long! But gardening can be rewarding on any scale and I want to encourage everyone to grow at least one thing this summer, just for the pleasure of it.

I am often saddened by articles I read on how children (and adults, too) are becoming more and more disconnected from our food. The connection between a plant in a garden and that green thing on our plates is becoming less and less obvious the more we depend on giant agri-business and less on local food options. I feel very lucky to have grown up in a rural area where farm-to-table eating is fairly common and almost everyone has some kind of summer garden, even if it’s just a few tomato plants. This summer, I’d like to encourage parents everywhere to reverse the blind-eating trend by getting their kids involved in the family food system. Whether it’s growing a large garden or a single veggie plant in your windowsill or even visiting a local farmer’s market or volunteering at the farm that supplies your CSA, gardening can be a great family summertime activity. Helping your children discover the magic of turning dirt and sunlight into delicious fruits and veggies will open them up to a whole new world. And, as an added perk, your kids might just discover that they like veggies once they’ve tried garden-fresh instead of store-bought.

What are your favorite veggies to grow? What do you make with the overabundance of certain veggies like tomatoes and zucchini at the height of summer? Share your summer gardening stories and tips here or on our Facebook and Twitter pages!