This week we welcomed campers from Frank H Pierce Center to the garden! By partnering with the Bartlett Park Community Garden, we've been able to reach so many additional members of the St. Petersburg Community!
This time, around 30 middle school-aged kids got to visit and help out around the urban garden. Because in Florida summer is the growing off-season, we utilized our time together to teach and inspire.
We introduced the campers to the concept of urban gardening and how community gardens provide fresh, locally grown, (and free!) food to our neighborhood. The kids got to explore the garden, including their favorite part: the chicken coop! The campers were so excited to see real live chickens and amazed at the freshly laid eggs - plus a protective mama hen!
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We then painted some signs to help beautify and organize the garden. Plant identification signs are critical for distinguishing plants apart - especially during the various growing stages of a plant when many plants tend to look similar. Identification signs are also very important to ensure visitors only eat what is edible!
Some signs were painted with the intention to inspire. Allowing creativity to run freely inspires the artist to feel invested in their work, and a beautiful space motivates all to spend more time there.
We finished the day with some refreshments - peaches, nectarines, watermelon, and apples for everyone! I made sure to stand guard by the garbage and redirected everyone to the compost pile instead! This was an organic (pun intended) way to incorporate compost education into the visit as well. The kids had some great questions about composting and were excited to know that today's trash will soon be rich soil to be used right here in the garden!
Written by Ariela Gomez, 7/19/2024