3 minute read
Little Sprouts
A new generation of gardeners gets hooked on growing in southern Minnesota’s Le Sueur County.
STORY ANNA MARHEFKE + REBECCA SWEE
Watching children from all backgrounds come together to plant their first seeds, nurture them into seedlings and eventually harvest the fruits (or vegetables) of their labor? Beautiful.
Seeing future gardeners and stewards of the land grow in community, empowered by peers and mentors as they cultivate new skills and confidence and connect with friends and neighbors? Priceless.
These lessons of love and growth were on full display in the garden beds of south central Minnesota daily this past summer.
After signing up for a day-long training to support master gardeners in utilizing gardens as living laboratories for science and nutrition learning, Le Sueur County master gardener Cheryl Amundson left compelled to share what she learned with local students. She applied to join the Minnesota State Horticultural Society’s Garden-in-a-Box program, which gave her access to nine free garden kits, including raised garden beds, seeds, plants, soil, compost and educational support. She was ready to grow.
Materials in hand, Cheryl wanted to expand her reach and impact, forging community partnerships with Le Sueur-Henderson Public Schools and Community Education, Le Sueur Garden Club, Ney Nature Center, Le Sueur County Extension, 4-H development and SNAP-ED, as well as the Rotary Club of Le Sueur’s pollinator project. She also worked with seven additional master gardeners who supported the educational component of this experience.
In just one growing season, this small group of master gardener mentors made a big difference in the lives of the participating children, who quickly fell in love with gardening (mission accomplished!). Students regularly declared their wish to “stay at the garden all day” and were disappointed when their weekly class was interrupted by the 4th of July. One parent even noted that they “will have to put up a garden in the backyard” because of how much this program impacted their child.
Introducing the next generation to the power of gardening with a hands-on and curiosity-focused approach is the goal of the Garden-in-a-Box program. The statewide program has grown from 170 participant gardeners in its first season (2008) to more than 9,000 in 2024. When given the opportunity to engage with and grow their own healthy food, students are able to observe and develop a love and appreciation for the environment around them, feel a sense of accomplishment and pride, establish personal practices to reduce stress and enhance overall well-being, cultivate balance and enjoy an enriching, educational experience that will fuel their future success.
At first glance, you might just see little ones squealing with joy when they unearth their first homegrown carrots and tomatoes. But we see a powerful movement as the next generation falls in love with growing.
Grow Future Gardeners
You can support valuable community outreach programs, such as Garden-in-a-Box, by visiting northerngardener.org/ Garden-in-a-Box.
