By Lacey Miller 

Kids these days eat cold cereals, microwavable meals, and processed foods as if that is the only edible foods around. Growing up, my grandmother cooked homemade meals seven days a week, most of which were grown in her backyard. We would watch soap operas and shell peas and I thought it was the best! Afterwards, I would take baskets outside and fill them with grasses and flowers to serve as my imaginary salad. Now as I sit outside, I enjoy watching my daughter make salads and mud pies and I enjoy “eating them” to her great delight.
 
This generational play has been passed on through my planting a couple of small, raised beds with her by my side. Her small fingers are just right for puncturing the soil to insert the small seeds. Her eyes light up when I point out the small green shoot just splitting the ground later. She loves to help water and weed, taking her small part in cultivating God’s beautiful creation. Of course, I think flowers are still her favorite, especially those in shades of pink, but convincing her to eat her vegetables is considerably easier when she has taken part in growing and picking them!
 
There are several fun ways to encourage children to get involved in the garden, such as creating labels from used items to identify what the small seedlings will produce. You can even paint rocks in fun colors and designs to mark the future growth. Providing a child with their own watering can is another wonderful opportunity to include them in growing their inspiration for fresh foods. My daughter loves being splashed on a hot summer day as she dips water from the rain barrel and sloshes it over to the raised beds filled with tomatoes, peppers, and strawberries. I have come to understand the benefit of rainwater versus hose water. We do not have the perfect system set up to transfer the water from the barrel to the plants yet, but with the purchase of an inexpensive rain barrel we have cut down on our water usage and increased the benefits for the plants using what God has provided.
 
Another perfect activity to involve the younger crowd is planting seeds in the clear grocery store fruit containers, which make perfect mini greenhouses. Not only are you saving money from purchasing a seed starting set, but you are also recycling! These containers come with drainage holes already in place and when moisture is maintained and the sun heats them up, the seeds are extremely content to sprout and amaze the littles! At my house, each year I buy my daughter a “crop” of her choice to plant on her own and as she coaxes these into production, she can take pride in her accomplishments. The younger the child, the more involved you will have to be, but as they grow in years, they will have a growing knowledge of what it takes to be a successful gardener.
 
For school, my daughter learned about cross pollination and used a Q-tip to pollinate some of the plants. We subsequently learned the importance of inviting pollinators into the garden, especially for the blueberries, squash, and cucumber. Including bright colored flowers encourages bees and butterflies to visit and pollinate; and also has little girls to pick mini bouquets for the kitchen table. The options are as endless as the benefits when including the younger generation in the garden! You may not have acres to grow on, but even a couple of potted plants can spark a love of nature for the future.
 
Lacey Miller, an intern in the Master Gardener 2022 Master Gardener Class.  For more information on becoming a master gardener, visit www.capcitymga.org or email capcitymag@gmail.com.