The quiet arrival of fall means many different things for different people. For me, it represents the season of refreshment – from the heat and the garden especially. However, as a kid, it usually meant one thing – time for school.
Every fall, as children everywhe
re are picking back up their books, I'm reminded of my home-school days and find myself reminiscing on those early lessons. I may not have appreciated the education then as I should have, but I'm certainly grateful for it today.
While my parents certainly taught my siblings and I how to solve math problems and spell words correctly, they also showed us how to work – leading by example – which made all the difference. And that's a main reason why we are still working together as a family today. A valuable lesson learned in childhood is never fully forgotten.
Growing a garde
n is the perfect example. Many people underestimate the importance in teaching their children how to garden, but I personally can not wait to someday share my love for gardening with my children. I believe it to be essential to their happiness as much as to their survival.
No matter their age, children are always watching and learning. That is certainly true of my one-year-old nephew, Austin, who has just started walking and mimicking everything we do. His curiosity for things is clearly evident. However, not every lesson in life can be learned within the crisp white pages of a book. We must introduce our children to the vibrant, outdoor world that's full of color, insects, and plants where they can be taught the basics in science, math, and physics. (And maybe eat a little dirt when we're not looking!)
Here at White Harvest, we are very passionate about encouraging and teaching folks to grow their own food and find provision straight from their own soil. As we've come to learn, a garden provides a wide variety of harvests. There is the food harvest, certainly, but there is also the appreciation for God's creation and bo
unty, the work ethic, and a great deal of patience that comes along with growing a garden. And our kids need to taste these harvests for themselves.
That is why our family is making plans to create an online gardening program designed specifically for parents and their children who garden side by side. There will be creative garden layouts, planting recommendations, fun games and crafts, and other tips of the trade to make your child's first garden a fun and memorable experience for the both of you.
If you have any ideas and/or questions regarding gardening with kids, feel free to leave a comment or send us an email. We hope to be adding our new program soon, so be sure to check our website and Facebook page for updates.
