The first time I grew vegetables, the harvest was more than the bounty.
That was the summer my then six-year-old son, Ben, learned the difference between flower, flour, plants and power plants.
His questions revealed how his mind worked and what he picked up in the news. We lived in Southern Indiana at the time and Marble Hill, a now-defunct nuclear-powered generating plant, was in the headlines. I loved talking to him at the kitchen counter about such heady stuff, even if he was only six.
That also was the summer I learned dozens of ways to cook zucchini, which thankfully, was Ben’s favorite vegetable.
Many kids find gardening fun, especially when they grow food and flowers they like. And some plants are just plain fun to grow not matter what your age.
When working with kids, get them involved from the start, asking for their input for planning the garden and what kinds of seeds and plants they’d like to try.
It’s easy to wimp out in mid-summer when weeds are high and the days are hot, but gardening teaches us about responsibility and commitment, no matter who needs the lessons.
Fulfilling responsibilities is the reason…
