Garden Gloves and Grubby Hands

It's that glorious time of year where one can be outside more and more and enjoy so many fun activities.

One of my favorites is gardening!  I have really grown to love this pastime.  It gives so much satisfaction in working hard and harvesting veggies that feed my family.  The past two years I have helped in some way shape or form with the school garden.  This garden is planted by all the kids at school and they are welcome to come during the summer to help tend it.  Whatever vegetables are harvested that day, the kids can take home.  Last year, I challenged the kids to think about what they would really eat that week and what was extra.  The extra we were able to put in the food pantry at the school that serves our school families.

I have a small group of Garden Mentors.  This group of kids has come to special meetings and have decided what goes in the garden.  They all worked together to prepare the beds for planting and have planted a bed just for them that they will harvest veggies out of to take to fair in July.  They are a very excited group and its a struggle sometimes to harness that enthusiasm!  :)  They are all very hard workers and I am very much looking forward to the summer and the time we will spend together in the sun and dirt.

I helped out many classes this last week get out and plant their assigned vegetable.  I heard lots of exclamations about dirt and worms and plenty of squeals.  They had so much fun!  Team Hoglan, our parent/teacher organization gave money so that garden gloves could be purchased for the garden.  The kids could not wait to get a pair on.

We also got our garden put in at our house.  We put in the usual, tried something for the third year in a row and hoping it works this time, and tried something new.  My child was made for the dirt.  He loves it and gets really upset when we have to go in the house.  He did not help with the actual planting of seeds, but had his tractors nearby to play in the dirt.  He loves walking out the garden with me to check on the plants.  Momma Cat Denise isn't far behind us when we go.  We're going to have to work on walking BETWEEN the rows when the plants really start coming up...

'To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.'  -Audrey Hepburn