Gardening With Children Farm to Table

Gardening with Children

by Valerie Scolarici Farm to Table

Plants and Seeds in our Food

Plants are the definition of fitness. They need very little from us to survive. Yet their unique relationship with us touches every aspect of have cotton in them, and most plastics, rubbers, cardboards, paper, and ink have plant ingredients. A good number of medications come from plants, our being. Take a minute to look around the room that you are sitting in now and count the products of plants you see. Our homes and furniture are often built with lumber from trees, our clothes and the food in our pantries, refrigerators, and spice cabinets are stocked with—you guessed it— PLANTS! So where do plants come from? Most plants start with a seed.

What’s in Your Food?

In the kitchen we usually call seeds something else--grain or wheat. But they’re just the same as the seeds we plant in the garden. There are lots of seeds and other plant parts in our food. Reading the food label is not only an excellent way to see what is in the food we are about to eat, but it also tells us how much of that food we should eat daily. Circle the plant products you see on the nutrition label of this popular snack.

What Makes Whole Grain Whole?

On a basic level, there are three parts to a whole grain. The GERM makes a plant grow and is also what offers much of the nutritional value. The outer shell of the seed is called the BRAN. It is also healthful to eat, adding fiber to our diet. Finally there is the ENDOSPERM, which is mostly starch, plus a few vitamins. All are helpful to us, which is why it is recommended that we eat “whole grains”. Refined grains leave only the seed’s endosperm and that translates to starch and not much else hitting our plate. We grind seeds (grains) into flour, and we also eat them fresh, dry, canned, and cooked. Here’s how those seeds get from the farm to your table.

Valerie Scolarici has a horticulture degree from Southwestern Illinois College, is a mother of four and lives on a five-acre hobby farm with her husband. There they care for a goat, two potbelly pigs, a rabbit, a wheelbarrow of chickens, a few farm cats, and a dog. She says she finds herself happiest when her hands are dirty.

Seeds hold the answers to a lot of questions. They are also not in short supply. In one seed packet there is more than enough to plant. Share those extra seeds by calling some friends and asking them if they want to exchange seeds with you. At right is a template for a seed packet. Cut this template out and use it to make seed packets of your own from scrap paper. Cut on the dotted lines and fold the solid lines inward gluing or taping together. Or use old envelopes from the mail your parents get. This way you can divide the contents of a seed packet into several packets to share. Date and label them, and host a seed exchange party of your own. Let’s celebrate these edible marvels by planting more seeds!!

Children’s Garden Club is Back!

After a pandemic induced hiatus,The St. Louis County Parks Children’s Garden Club is back with its mission to promote an interest in gardening and horticulture in children of all ages. Each month, kids get to create a project to take home while learning about some aspect of gardening. The Club meets the first Saturday of each month (2nd Saturday in July and September) at various locations. It’s free and no reservations are required. For details about the next meeting, see our Upcoming Events calendar or call (314) 822-9095 or email dwolter@ stlouiscountymo.gov.

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