SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - At the Enos Park Neighborhood Garden, kids get the chance to see produce go from seeds, to sprouts, to full plants. They visit every week to check their plants for pests, weed the area and water the plot.
The kids also learn how to tell when their plant has reached maturity and the best way to harvest it. This includes understanding which leaves of kale will keep the plant growing and how to recognize when herbs are at their peak.
"They are learning to work together in the garden and they're learning to appreciate the life cycle of plants," said Alana Reynolds, The Kid's Garden coordinator. "They learn about bees, learn about our pollinators, learn about butterflies."
As part of the programs, the kids assembled a weather station. They placed various thermometers, a wind sock and a compass to determine how key weather factors affect how their plants grow.
"She was telling us about how we could look at the weather station for the inches of rain," said Cole Davis, a participant in The Kids Garden. "We have a weather log book as well where we see what the clouds were, so we could put that in the log book."
After taking care of the plants and tracking weather conditions, the kids then harvest whatever plants are ready. Then, they participate in an activity where Reynolds teaches them how to prepare the plant to eat or learn more about it.
"We pulled kale out and now I'm making a salad, and I'm adding some cheese," said Olivia Turner, a participant in The Kids Garden. "I like eating all the honey from the bees here too."
Turner said she has learned to eat new foods that she does not normally try at home.
The Kids Fare Garden Club meets on Mondays from June 2 to Aug. 4 between 10 and 11 a.m. They also meet on Wednesdays and Thursdays in June and July between 9:30 a.m. and 10 a.m.
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