Alright, let’s get into it. Every single school should have a garden program. No excuses. Kids should be learning how to cultivate and grow their own food, and it’s beyond me why we’re not doing this everywhere already.
Let’s start with the basics: some of the most important life skills can be learned in the garden. You want kids to learn patience? Teach them to grow a tomato. Want them to learn responsibility? Have them care for a plant daily. Gardening teaches critical thinking, problem-solving, even inner peace! It’s calming, centering, and it gets kids connected to nature and their food in a way that textbooks just can’t.
But here’s where it gets interesting: a school garden isn’t just about planting seeds and hoping they grow. You can tie in practically every subject if you’re creative. Want math? You can count plants, calculate yield, determine ratios for water and compost, and even chart growth patterns. How about English? Describe what you see in the garden each day, write an essay on the uses of a specific plant, or debate why one gardening method works better than another.
And that’s just the start. PE? Gardening can be physically tough, especially when you’re digging, weeding, and harvesting. History? Talk about how different plants were used traditionally, how Native communities moved with the seasonal crops, and how food has shaped human history. It’s a hands-on way to make these subjects real for kids, way beyond what a worksheet or lecture could ever do.
You want to cover biology? Easy. A garden is a living, breathing biology lesson. Kids can learn the plant life cycle, the role of pollinators, soil health, and how ecosystems work together. They’re not just reading about it; they’re watching it unfold right in front of them. And let’s talk nutrition. Imagine teaching kids the value of real, fresh food while they’re growing it with their own hands! That’s life-changing stuff, especially in a world where they’re constantly exposed to processed junk. They get to learn about the vitamins and minerals in real food and maybe even understand why it’s better for them than something out of a vending machine.
And here’s an idea: if you want to incorporate business skills, let the kids sell seedlings or produce at a school market. They’d learn about costs, profits, marketing, and customer service—all by selling something they grew themselves. Think about how empowering that is for a kid.
And here’s where it really hits home: all the food produced could be used in the school cafeteria. Imagine schools actually offsetting the cost of lunches with produce the kids helped grow. That’s as real as it gets—kids seeing the fruits of their labor show up on their plates. They’d take pride in it, and they’d learn to appreciate food in a whole new way. And for kids who don’t get a lot of fresh produce at home, this could be a game-changer for their health and nutrition.
So, why aren’t we doing this? I see all benefits and zero downsides here. Every school could make this happen if they wanted to, and if they care about giving kids practical, valuable life skills, they should. Gardening isn’t just a “fun activity”—it’s an education in responsibility, self-sufficiency, and respect for the earth. And if we want healthier, smarter, more well-rounded kids, a school garden should be non-negotiable.
Until next time,
Traci
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