Gardening with Kids at Home

Hello!

I am curious about ways in which you help your kids have ownership of their gardens at home or how they show it. Do they remember to water and such on their own? Is it a hobby for them as much as it is for you? Do they celebrate and get excited for their harvests? How often do they garden on their own initiative?

I don't have kids myself and am wondering how much a child's relationship to their home garden can be different than that of a school garden. Students that I have taught once per week sometimes still seem to have a sense of disconnection to their harvests, even if I have involved them in the whole growing process. Do you think increasing the frequency the key or is more related to interest in gardening in general?

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Lily Nguyen
KidsGardening
Education Specialist
lilyn@kidsgardening.org
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Original Message:
Sent: 7/22/2021 7:06:00 PM
From: Lily Nguyen
Subject: Ownership in a home garden

Hello!

I am curious about ways in which you help your kids have ownership of their gardens at home or how they show it. Do they remember to water and such on their own? Is it a hobby for them as much as it is for you? Do they celebrate and get excited for their harvests? How often do they garden on their own initiative?

I don't have kids myself and am wondering how much a child's relationship to their home garden can be different than that of a school garden. Students that I have taught once per week sometimes still seem to have a sense of disconnection to their harvests, even if I have involved them in the whole growing process. Do you think increasing the frequency the key or is more related to interest in gardening in general?

------------------------------
Lily Nguyen
KidsGardening
Education Specialist
lilyn@kidsgardening.org
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Hi Michelle! 

I am from Texas so I love growing okra! I didn't have so much success growing it here in Hawai'i, although I think it is variety dependent. My favorite way to eat is actually raw off the plant - the small tender ones are the best!

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Lily Nguyen
KidsGardening
Education Specialist
lilyn@kidsgardening.org
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-23-2021 11:22:32 AM
From: Michelle Zupan
Subject: Ownership in a home garden

Hi Lily,

When I was married I had a step-son who would NOT eat vegetables. Erick was adamant about it. One day I made fried okra (I grew up in the South, but was living in Colorado).  The deal was that Erick had to taste a new food before rejecting it.  He tasted a piece of fried okra, then another and another, cleaned up his serving and asked for more!!!

So, we started a garden and we planted -- OKRA! Everyone swore that okra would not grow in Colorado.  He helped with planting, weeding, and harvesting -- OKRA!  He was completely willing to try anything that came from the garden. We didn't grow nearly enough okra to keep him eating all winter, but he was OK with the frozen breaded okra that I prepared. He's 30 now and still loves okra.

--

Michelle Zupan

Curator 

Hickory Hill & the Tom Watson Birthplace

502 Hickory Hill Drive

Thomson, GA  30824

706-595-7777

FAX: 706-595-7177

Visit us at www.hickory-hill.org or on Facebook.

Follow us on Twitter: HHEducation

Historic homes of the Watson-Brown Foundation, Inc. 

Original Message:
Sent: 7/22/2021 7:06:00 PM
From: Lily Nguyen
Subject: Ownership in a home garden

Hello!

I am curious about ways in which you help your kids have ownership of their gardens at home or how they show it. Do they remember to water and such on their own? Is it a hobby for them as much as it is for you? Do they celebrate and get excited for their harvests? How often do they garden on their own initiative?

I don't have kids myself and am wondering how much a child's relationship to their home garden can be different than that of a school garden. Students that I have taught once per week sometimes still seem to have a sense of disconnection to their harvests, even if I have involved them in the whole growing process. Do you think increasing the frequency the key or is more related to interest in gardening in general?

------------------------------
Lily Nguyen
KidsGardening
Education Specialist
lilyn@kidsgardening.org
------------------------------

We mostly garden in a community plot about a block from our house, but my two kids each have their own individual mini-raised beds at home. They are super excited about their harvests (which are radishes, carrots, and edible flowers), and if I let them know something needs to be thinned or pruned, they want to do it. I do most of the watering, though. Mostly because while I'm watering other things, it's easier for me to give their gardens a sprinkle as well.

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Beth Saunders
Director of Marketing & Communications
KidsGardening
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-22-2021 07:06:22 PM
From: Lily Nguyen
Subject: Ownership in a home garden

Hello!

I am curious about ways in which you help your kids have ownership of their gardens at home or how they show it. Do they remember to water and such on their own? Is it a hobby for them as much as it is for you? Do they celebrate and get excited for their harvests? How often do they garden on their own initiative?

I don't have kids myself and am wondering how much a child's relationship to their home garden can be different than that of a school garden. Students that I have taught once per week sometimes still seem to have a sense of disconnection to their harvests, even if I have involved them in the whole growing process. Do you think increasing the frequency the key or is more related to interest in gardening in general?

------------------------------
Lily Nguyen
KidsGardening
Education Specialist
lilyn@kidsgardening.org
------------------------------

There are few things more satisfying than pulling up root veggies! I bet they would be stoked to harvest daikon radish ;)

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Lily Nguyen
KidsGardening
Education Specialist
lilyn@kidsgardening.org
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-27-2021 11:36:20 AM
From: Beth Saunders
Subject: Ownership in a home garden

We mostly garden in a community plot about a block from our house, but my two kids each have their own individual mini-raised beds at home. They are super excited about their harvests (which are radishes, carrots, and edible flowers), and if I let them know something needs to be thinned or pruned, they want to do it. I do most of the watering, though. Mostly because while I'm watering other things, it's easier for me to give their gardens a sprinkle as well.

------------------------------
Beth Saunders
Director of Marketing & Communications
KidsGardening

Original Message:
Sent: 07-22-2021 07:06:22 PM
From: Lily Nguyen
Subject: Ownership in a home garden

Hello!

I am curious about ways in which you help your kids have ownership of their gardens at home or how they show it. Do they remember to water and such on their own? Is it a hobby for them as much as it is for you? Do they celebrate and get excited for their harvests? How often do they garden on their own initiative?

I don't have kids myself and am wondering how much a child's relationship to their home garden can be different than that of a school garden. Students that I have taught once per week sometimes still seem to have a sense of disconnection to their harvests, even if I have involved them in the whole growing process. Do you think increasing the frequency the key or is more related to interest in gardening in general?

------------------------------
Lily Nguyen
KidsGardening
Education Specialist
lilyn@kidsgardening.org
------------------------------