Growing Together: Open Forum

Hello Everyone,

I am excited to join this group. I am a School Resource Officer for a St. Louis County, Missouri, school district. As an after-school club, I am starting the Gardening Club for kids in 2nd through 8th grade. I am thankful for this forum and will take any advice or suggestions anyone has. My club officially starts at the beginning of March.  

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Erica Stough
Maryland Heights Police Department
Maryland Heights MO
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Hello! I'd suggest reaching out to Green Schools Quest, a local, student-led challenge that would be able to pair you with a mentor that could help support the needs of your specific site.

Seed St Louis is another local resource that may be helpful - looks like they're already done taking applicants for new sites for 2025, but might still be worth reaching out to. 

If you can share any specifics about the garden space/desires/needs, I'd be happy to find some other Missouri-specific resources! 

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Amity Freiman (They/Them)
- Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture
Columbia MO

"While I'm alive, I'll make tiny changes to earth" - Scott Hutchison
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Love this for you! A few tips to help you get started:

1.  Since the club is for a wide range of ages (2nd through 8th grade), consider starting with easy-to-grow plants like radishes, lettuce, or herbs. These are quick-growing, so the kids will see results faster and feel encouraged.

2. Get the kids involved in every step – from planting seeds to harvesting. 

3. You can use the garden as an opportunity to tie in lessons on science (photosynthesis, life cycles), math (measuring soil, plant growth), and art (drawing plants, creating garden markers).

4. You can create themed gardens like a pizza garden (tomatoes, peppers, herbs) or a butterfly garden to make it fun and educational. Kids love having a "goal" for what they're growing.

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Kalie J
Fostering Hope Ohio
OH
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