Students in a University of Maine Cooperative Extension (UMCE) program grew broccoli, peppers, cucumbers, lettuce, beans, spinach, tomatoes, carrots, radishes, peas, onions and herbs to give to local food banks in Waldoboro and Rockland.
They held a feast Aug. 12 with parents and master gardeners in a Kids Can Grow program offered by the Extension and 4-H, where students received t-shirts and certificates for having completed the program.
Starting in early May this year, the students learned about how to build their own garden using a raised bed design. They built raised garden beds at the UMCE Knox-Lincoln County office grounds in Waldoboro and built three by five foot garden beds at their own homes, under the guidance of master gardeners.
The young students, aged 6-12, brought in vegetables and herbs from their home gardens for Wednesday’s tasty, celebratory feast.
As they received certificates, students commented on their experiences: “I like that we got to harvest all this stuff. I learned to put yeast in water to kill slugs. I learned that water can burn your leaves. I really like the radishes.”
Joan Ray and Dieter Weber, parents of Alex Ray-Weber, said it was a positive experience for their son.
“It was a lot of fun,” Joan said, to which Dieter added, “He wants to do it next year.”
The Aug. 12 feast marked the finale for the five-month program, during which time students learned many aspects to growing healthy vegetables from the ground.
Starting in May, students learned the foundations of gardening with primers on soil, square footage, building a bed, mixing soil and planting seeds. They also learned about nutrition and the seasons for various crops.
The program master gardeners assisted children in learning about garden maintenance and insects at their own home gardens. They planted a row for the hungry, painted garden team signs and monitored beds at the UMCE office.
“We had a lot of beetles. We had a lot of late blight and early blight and we also had a lot of what?” Extension Educator Ellie Libby asked the children during a slide show at the feast.
“Slugs,” the children sporadically replied, distracted by the photos of their own gardens, the delicious vegetable curry and salad in front of them and the company of their parents.
“Communities and kids’ gardens have really grown,” Lisa Phelps, program administrator for the Extension said, speaking of the popularity of the hands-on experience throughout the four counties.
The regular cost of the program per child comes to roughly $75, Libby said, but thanks to the support of local non-profit volunteers, individuals and businesses, the price for the Kids Can Grow program was reduced to $20 per child.
Libby and Extension coordinators wanted to thank the Maine Community Foundation for their generous support, as well as support from many other groups and individuals, including Norman Golden of Seaside Organics, Carlos Quijano of Coast of Maine Compost, Jan and Fred Macdonald of Barley Joe Farm and Greenhouses, Jerry Lupien of Moose Crossing Garden Center, Joe Marsh, The Dirt Guy and RZR Hardware.
The program started in York County in 1999, initiated by Extension educator Frank Wertheim. The concern was children were too far removed, three to four generations, from farming practices and that their relationship with food and the earth was replaced by video games and technology.
The UMCE staff and master gardener volunteers started the program in York County in 1999 for children ages 7-12. They started with 17 children. The program has sprouted roots, reaching throughout Maine and beyond state borders to similar programs in South Carolina, Oregon and New York.
To learn more about the Kids Can Grow program, visit the Extension website at: www.extension.umaine.edu.
The UMCE office is located at 377 Manktown Rd. in Waldoboro. Their phone number is: 832-0343.
