My husband recently retired from the Marines. We've moved back to our home state of Indiana (central). We are renting for about a year before we can qualify for a loan. And this place is so small we can't have a garden (just no room). I still wanted to show my kids, 3years & 20 months, some gardening. So I did my only option, I bought one of those black plastic half barrel liners (but not the barrel). I knocked a bunch of holes in the bottem with a nail, and put a bunch of top soil & some compost (mixed) in it. Wet it down real good (by now the boys were going crazy wanting to be outside helping mommy), so now I'm ready for the kids. You never seen too kids want to put seeds in a pot so bad (the oldest is a clean freak, while the little one would dive in head first if I let him). I showed them how to plant carrots & green bunching onions. Then it was strait to the tub, you know kids.

We (mostly I) keep watering this big pot, when the oldest, Ricky, finally sees some sprouts. His words are "Look, growing". For a couple of weeks, everytime we left you heard him say the same thing "Look, growing" ,& soon after an echo from Jason his little brother.

It's been several weeks now, and the pot looked so full I thought it was time to do a little thinning. Today (August 2) I took the boys out for their first harvest. I wish I had a camera with me for the look on their faces (specially Ricky's). They must have been just as excited as when they planted the seeds. I can't help but wonder what their reaction will be at dinner tonight. Jason still eats anything but, Ricky won't. I also wonder what their reaction will be to more harvests as those left behind gets even bigger.

animalfarms

-- animalfarms (jwlewis@indy.net), August 02, 2000

Answers

Great Post!!! I love to here that Folks are getting their Kids involved. It is even better that they enjoy it so much!!! Learning (and teaching) is much easier when it is FUN!!! Good Luck!

-- Mark (deadgoatman@webtv.net), August 02, 2000.

Wonderful story! I remember our very first garden, I was four. The thing I remember most was the carrots. When I was about ten my folks let me have my very own garden. Gosh, that was exciting. All I planted was greenbeans that year, but I've managed to plant a vegetable garden every year since.

-- Cathy Horn (hrnofplnty@webtv.net), August 03, 2000.

That's really neat! I remember when I was 3 1/2 and my mom was showing me how to plant beans. It was the neatest thing. I remember when I was 9 and 10 thinking it really wasn't the neatest thing at all to have to be sweating in the garden while all the other neighbor kids were playing in a pool! I did get my priorities back in line, though.

-- Doreen (livinginskin@yahoo.com), August 03, 2000.

Good for you, keep up the good work.

-- Cindy (atilrthehony_1@yahoo.com), August 06, 2000.

When they get to liking pizza, let them plant a "pizza garden". Set up a round plot and devide it into "slices" using string. Plant 2 or 3 roma tomatoes in a slice, bell pepper in a slice, onion in a slice, oregano in a slice. Let them work this till it bears , then make them a pizza with the harvest. If you still don't have any space , buy a 4 ft wading pool at Kmart or Wal mart. I'm sure it would be fun and that pizza would be the best they ever had.

-- Jay Blair (jayblair678@yahoo.com), August 06, 2000.