Lead a Garden Discovery Walk for Children Before they Garden!

If you were to introduce children to a gardening program, what are some things to teach elementary-aged children before they begin to garden? First, take the children OUTSIDE for a guided kids’ discovery walk through the garden. It’s important for Growing Gardeners to explore the garden and learn basic gardening terms and safety rules before picking up a garden tool. Introduce children to connections between plants, animals, and people. This helps them develop a respect for living things in the garden and the environment.

Here are suggested tips when leading young gardeners on a Garden Discovery walk. Get their attention so they will listen and learn. Gather the group and quiet them down. Teachers and instructors have various teaching styles. Instead of using whistles or shouting in the garden, I prefer using a calm voice to keep the atmosphere relaxed and tranquil. I might hold up a plant and calmly, say, “Let me see your eyes on this plant.” Once I have everyone’s attention, we begin the garden walk. Or... I will say, “If you hear me, clap gently once.” Those listening clap once. Next, I will say, “If you hear me, clap gently twice.” Everyone claps twice and I have their full attention.

Constant observations and a flow of activity engage the attention of young children. Those children who are new to the garden need to have things pointed out to them first, until they develop their own observation skills. As young gardeners notice more things around them, they realize it’s fun and become excited to point out their own discoveries to the other children.

A fourth grader pointed to a branch of a Bayberry shrub and said, “Look, a beehive!” I asked, “Where do you see that?” He pointed again. It was a praying mantis egg case. The children gathered around to get a closer look. Using this as a teachable moment, I described the egg case and explained why praying mantis are in the garden. Sometimes making new discoveries in the garden feels like a song. It flows with excitement and the knowledge builds. Sometimes it repeats itself just like the chorus of a song.

Explaining the Garden Rules establishes safe habits. Children need instructions about safe handling and carrying of garden tools. Show them the proper spacing so they won’t bump into each other with long-handled tools. I recommend trowels and short-handled shovels for young gardeners when available. Instructions should include not running, especially with tools or wheelbarrows. Another rule is to observe wildlife from a distance; don’t touch everything you see. Caterpillars are delicate; plucking them off a leaf as they grasp with suction cup feet may injure them. Some caterpillars with stinging hairs should not be touched at all, such as the Saddleback Caterpillar which we found on Spicebush. Children need to learn to stay on the walking paths and to weed and plant without walking all over the garden beds. It’s part of understanding and respecting living things

Help children tune in their senses by describing different ways to see and observe nature in the garden. Stay in one place for five minutes then ask children to describe what they observed. Look up, down, and all around. Notice the clouds. Is there wind? Sketching with colored pencils on art paper secured on clip boards helps children sit longer.

“How many scents can you smell?” Smelling Honeysuckle, Bay Magnolia Tree flowers, or the blossoms on a Fringe Tree open a new world for some children who often walk by these plants. I will crumble up a leaf from the Sweetgum Tree or a Bayberry shrub and see how amazed children are to smell their sweet scents.

Wildlife sights and sounds in a garden fascinate children. Birds create melodic songs throughout the garden. Crickets and katydids serenade a summer garden before sunset. There is so much to teach when connecting plants, insects and wildlife including deer, groundhogs, black bear, squirrels, cottontail rabbits, birds, turtles, snakes, toads, ticks, spiders, spotted lantern flies, bees, butterflies, and other insects, etc. and how they interact with gardens and people.

Set up hands-on discovery stations along your garden walk because children don’t like to sit still for too long of a session. Teach and demonstrate something, then move the group to the next station while learning about plants in between stations. Station themes could include names of tools, pulling a weed with its roots, planting a flower bulb, removing a plant from its pot, measuring soil depth, life cycles and food webs in the garden, plant names, etc. Walk through the garden as if you were telling a story. A positive experience in the garden will help children become interested in becoming Growing Gardeners.

Editor’s Note: Diana is an Environmental Educator with award-winning programs for all ages who has been teaching since 1975. She can be reached at dianadove13@gmail.com She currently co-teaches, “Wildlife & Litter” programs with her husband Mike that are free to NJ groups when sponsored by Clean Communities. This includes guided nature walks, pond studies, education booths at town festivals, and outdoor programs for youth & adult garden clubs, schools, camps, libraries, and service organizations with a message about not littering. She is a former Sr. Naturalist for Somerset Co. Parks. In October, 1996 Diana founded a schoolyard, wildlife habitat garden at Memorial School in Washington Boro, Warren County, NJ. Please ‘Like” the FB page of the Karen Nash Memorial Butterfly Garden. Diana volunteers as Youth Chair on the Bd of the Garden Club of NJ and is a First Place National Winner of the NGC Youth Leader Award. She has a BS in Forestry & Wildlife Mgt, with a concentration in Biology, plus a BA in Communications from Va Tech.

As the farming season kicks into high gear, I wanted to take a moment to share some valuable information that could have a positive impact on your operations. The USDA Farm Service Agency’s Organic Certification Cost Share Program is a fantastic opportunity that can benefit your farm in more ways than one.

Organic farming has gained tremendous popularity in recent years, and for good reason. Consumers are increasingly seeking out organic produce, recognizing the health and environmental benefits it offers. By participating in the Organic Certification Cost Share Program, you can tap into this growing demand and reap the rewards. One of the most significant benefits is the higher market value that organic produce commands compared to conventionally grown crops. By obtaining organic certification, you can position your farm to capture premium prices, giving you a competitive edge in the market.

But what exactly does the Organic Certification Cost Share Program entail? It’s a partnership between the USDA Farm Service Agency and eligible organic producers that aims to alleviate the financial burden associated with obtaining and maintaining organic certification. The program provides financial assistance by reimbursing a portion of the costs incurred during the organic certification process. These costs may

Here at the NJLCA, we are getting excited (so excited we keep “wetting our plants”) and gearing up for our summer show, New Jersey Contractors Showcase Expo (NJCSE) at the beginning of next month at County College of Morris in Randolph, NJ. Exhibitors are getting their booths and demonstration areas in order and looking forward to a full house of attendees who are signing up daily. Trade Shows are always fun, but they also serve a purpose to those in the industry. They provide a chance for industry members to get together, for sure, but there is much more involved.

Networking Galore: Trade Shows bring together professionals, experts, and industry leaders from around the tri-state metropolitan area. They offer an ideal platform to forge valuable connections, expand professional networks, and collaborate with like-minded individuals. The opportunity to meet potential clients, suppliers, partners, and industry influencers under one roof is unparalleled, as we see each year at our event in the Meadowlands. What makes this more exciting is the ability to see, feel and test out the equipment and services.

Stay Ahead of the Curve: Staying up-to-date with the latest industry trends, innovations, and technologies is crucial for sustaining growth

USDA Farm Service Agency

By Bob Andrzejczak State Executive Director