Gardening with Youth
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Abstract
This program was a collaboration between OSU Extension agriculture and natural resources, 4-H youth development, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – Education, Scioto County Soil and Water Conservation District, Findlay Manor Retirement Center, and the 14th Street Community Center to establish a youth community garden program. On average, 90 underserved youth participate in the intergenerational program daily. Educators teach children at the garden site three times a week in-season where they plant, weed, water and tend to the garden. Children are also taught nutrition and eating healthy. A program impact survey indicated youth learned how to plant a garden, the importance growing their own food, how to work together as a team, and the importance of nutrition and healthy eating. They reported trying new fruits and vegetables, learned the benefits of physical activity; how to follow directions, and they learned a sense of community pride.
Description
This program involved collaboration between OSU Extension agriculture and natural resources, 4-H youth development, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – Education, Scioto County Soil and Water Conservation District, Findlay Manor Retirement Center, the 14th Street Community Center, and Scioto County Head Start to establish youth community garden programs. Underserved youth of Scioto County learned about community service, gardening and nutrition in this intergenerational program. Educators met with children at the garden three times a week in season where they planted, weeded, watered, raked, and tended to needs of the garden. Children learned how to plant a garden, learned the importance of growing their own food, the cost effectiveness of planting a garden, working together, team-building, nutrition, responsibility, confidence, the benefits of physical activity, following directions and a sense of community pride. Other goals of the project included teaching children about nutrition and eating healthy and to provide opportunities for children to practice personal growth and social skills. The community gardens provide the opportunity for youth to work together cooperatively as a Team. Local 4-H clubs provide community service to the program through projects such as building and painting fences around the garden with materials donated from a local home improvement store and another facility donated tools for the youth to use. The neighbors surrounding the gardens help by watching over the gardens, mowing around the perimeters, cleaning up storm damage, resetting tomato stakes, and donating supplies when needed. The community garden projects conclude with a dinner get-together and an awards ceremony; and the youth participants receive recognition certificates or medals and get to sample food prepared from the gardens with their families. Information and plans to extend the program were also shared with the families of the participants.
AUTHOR AFFILIATION: Brad Bergefurd, Educator, Agriculture and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University Extension, bergefurd.1@osu.edu (Corresponding Author); Lisa Kepler, SNAP-Ed Program Assistant, The Ohio State University Extension; Josi Brodt-Evans, Educator, 4-H Youth Development, The Ohio State University Extension; Grace Peach-Storey, SNAP-Ed Program Assistant, The Ohio State University Extension.