There’s nothing like experiencing the sensation of picking sun-warmed vegetables and herbs grown in your backyard. Gardeners take great pleasure knowing the little seed they once planted became a delicious and healthy addition to their meal.
In college, I personally encountered the field to fork experience while living in a co-op style dorm, nicknamed the Farmhouse. There, I was asked to plant garlic. Despite repeated declarations of ignorance, I soon found myself thrusting cloves into the earth in neat rows. I felt a sense of pride; however, pride was overcome with a feeling of awe in the spring when I harvested the garlic and made a fresh meal. I had fostered the garlic from clove to bulb, and that feeling was unlike anything else I had ever experienced.
Imagine witnessing this transformative experience with children.
Every Monday and Thursday, food bank staff go to the Children of Mine Youth Center to lead a Garden Club for kids in the area. In the center’s garden, children learn the origins of their food and the importance of eating healthily. It is amazing to see the kids joyfully take turns picking kale, basil and rosemary for their snack. Afterward, the children happily eat what the garden yielded. Furthermore, the kids are empowered to make healthy decisions in their household and show their parents how to prepare their garden snacks.
Anyone can experience the magic of gardening, regardless of space or time to manage a backyard garden. Here is a great link for the newbie looking to grow herbs indoors.