posted 9/4/09

Students & gardens help each other grow While there’s considerable controversy about the idea of President Barack Obama speaking directly to school children, there seems to be no criticism of something else that the Obamas are promoting: gardens that youngsters plant and tend. Checking with educators and gardeners around the state last week, I found many beautiful examples around the state, plus a lot of assistance available from the University of Minnesota Extension and their Master Gardener program.. Joan Anderson from School for All Seasons/Isanti Intermediate School described various gardens with native prairie flowers and grasses and another garden that has herbs including dill, chives, sage and mint. “First graders have released butterflies in the garden. Hummingbirds and other birds are regular visitors.

Lisa Carlson, Principal at Woodland Elementary in Eagan reports that “gardening nurtures students’ creativity and gives them an appreciation of nature. Children are fascinated by the magic of the seed becoming a plant.” Their gardens include zinnias, brown eyed Susan’s, marigolds, and, daisies. Then they take turns spreading mulch. It’s a very colorful garden with the same flowers year to year.

Monica Clark, Magnet Coordinator at Cedar Park STEM Elementary School says the gardens at their school give students “hands on learning experiences – they are being true scientists. It ties all the subjects together.” Their have gardens focusing on salads, flowers, salsa and ancient history, with wheat and papyrus.

Doug Olson, a Vocational Agriculture instructor at Milaca High School reported that students in one of his Plant Science classes plant vegetables each year. Then they study what comes up, and learn how to take the vegetables home and transplant them. Olson says that planting and watching the vegetables grow & definitely stimulates students interest.

Steve Massey, Forest Lake High School Principal, explained that their FFA program has done many projects, including a fall and spring project with the Forest Lake City Park Board, a city garden “gateway project” along US-61 south, just before the main business district. Massey reports that the students “take a lot of pride in the annual project."

Susan Humble, Chicago County Master Gardner Coordinator, described a garden that Extension did with youngsters from the Stacy Teen Center. Master Gardeners “taught the youngsters how to plan, prepare the area, plant, harvest, cook and ‘preserve the fruits of their labors’.” They learned to grow, among other things, zucchini, beans, onions, corn and peas. A poster about the project was displayed at this year’s Minnesota State Fair.

Julie Weisenhorn, state director of the UMN Extension Master Garden Program believes that planting and caring for a garden “really renews the spirit”. Planting vegetables “comes down to the most needs – food. We get more and more requests from community, home and school. People need to eat and want to know the source of where the food comes from. Many want children to know this too, in part so they will carry this idea through to adult. A lot of kids will eat more vegetables when they have a hand in growing them. Then they go into adulthood with healthier eating habits.

More info from University Extension is available about gardens for home or school a blog.lib.umn.edu/efans/ygnews/ If you want to see the vegetable garden that Michelle Obama and some students grew, see

www.thewhofarm.org/2009/08/31/the-story-of-the-white-house-kitchen-garden-a-new-video/

  Picture taken in Isanti.