teaching my kids to love the land
When I was growing up, my mom had a huge garden. It is something that I always remember from my childhood. It could be due to the year we had an infestation of woodchucks…I think we disposed of 14 that year. It could be the days where my brother and I would sneak out to the garden and eat all of the shell peas before my mom would get home from work. The many years my mom mowed over the asparagus and they kept coming back every year, or the raw rhubarb and sugar that we would snack on. Somehow I don’t remember the weeding…or the planting…my mom took care of that (perhaps I wasn’t very good at weeding). But, the bounty I do remember.
I talk a lot about my garden, and food, and my desire to be more self-sufficient, but I don’t often speak of it in the context of teaching my children.
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| From last summer… |
Maybe because I am still learning myself. Every year I plant a bunch of vegetables and hope that they grow. There isn’t a whole lot of planning besides what I know I can grow (in pots!), everything else is complete trial and error. But, I want my kids to have the same desire to dig in the dirt as I have.
I think that I am lucky in realizing this while my kids are still quite young. They want to be out in the garden digging in the dirt, it is fun for them to pull up weeds. In fact, last summer I let them plant some of my seeds in a section of the yard they had dug up. It happened to be mustard greens…and they grew quite well…and my daughter was ecstatic that a seed she had put in the ground and diligently (over)watered, grew so well.
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| …oh how I miss the warmth! |
Sometimes it is easier for me to do it myself. Actually, it is almost always easier for me to do it myself. But, I do know how exciting it is for my kids; add in my desire for them to be good stewards of God’s creation and to learn some of the skills pertaining to gardening, well, I am going to let them be more involved.
I am really excited about the spring planting season this year. I have ordered my seeds, and plan to start some seeds as soon as they arrive. I know that my kids are going to love helping to put those seeds in dirt, and watch them grow, and then to help me plant those seedlings in the ground. It will probably take me longer, and it might be messier, but it will show my kids that I trust them to help me on something so important, and will instill in them the value I place on our food.
Do you let your kids help you with your garden? Do they love it, or find it to be a chore?
Linking up with Clever Chicks, the Barn Hop, Hip Homeschool Hop, Healthy 2day Wednesday, Mommy Club, Look What We Did, Your Green Resource, Training Happy Hearts
Linking up with Clever Chicks, the Barn Hop, Hip Homeschool Hop, Healthy 2day Wednesday, Mommy Club, Look What We Did, Your Green Resource, Training Happy Hearts
Thank you for linking up at THH. 🙂
I laughed when I read this post because my son has recently asked me when we are ever going to make our edible garden grow. We have made (and failed at) attempts for as long as he can recall. Maybe this year will be the year *I* finally help something edible survive. The kids are one ahead of me, though. They both grew a few peppers last year. And, we all enjoy planting and growing indestructible perennial flowers.
I hope you enjoy the blessing of your gardening experience with your beautiful kids.
I have four kids and I let them all help. The oldest and the baby were the only ones that proved very good or helpful. My son actually got into gardening quite a bit. In high school he had fruit trees and a strawberry bed. My seven year old plants seedlings as gently and adequately as I do. It is such an amazing thing to witness. Thanks for sharing and please consider adding this and any of your other posts to Look What We Did. I think other home schoolers would find them enjoyable. -Savannah http://www.lookwhatwedid-homeschool.blogspot.com
This is one of the things I look forward to for when we have kids someday. We both really wanted to live out in the country so we could raise our kids in a rural farm setting. I think it's so important to teach them about real food and how it is grown at a young age so they grow up with that appreciation.
Your photos are adorable!!!
LOVE this gal! So important and I bet the kiddos are equally excited to get out there in summer warmth 🙂
I've never had much of a green thumb, but I used to love my grandparents' garden. There would always be enormous eggplants and zucchini! That's wonderful that your kids are excited about gardening and where their food comes from.
love the pictures…….Thank you for sharing with the Clever Chicks Blog Hop this week; I hope you’ll join us again!
Cheers,
Kathy Shea Mormino
The Chicken Chick
http://www.The-Chicken-Chick.com
We all enjoy being outside – I have so many memories, and can't wait to make more, of the kids just being outside, discovering and enjoying everything. I love the fact that my kids are already asking our garden plan for 2013 and what vegetables and fruits we will attempt to grow. They also are eager to get to the many farms in our area for berry picking and just to pack picnic lunches and hang out with our animal friends.
They do enjoy being outside so much. And my oldest was able to help some in the garden last summer. I bet he'll be even better this year!