The next generation of Food Prudes

I am no green thumb. I have killed aloe plants. My parents did not garden, I had no experience. 

Gardening is a key ingredient to raising the next generation of Food Prudes. It is vital that children learn where their food comes from - before it gets to the grocery store. 

My children taught me, they inspired me....they nagged me. To them, there was no reason not to plant some seeds and see what happened.  My children have so thoroughly enjoyed growing a random assortment of things like carrots, corn, tomatoes, and strawberries, even though some of them didn't turn out, and were never edible.  It taught them the process and gave them an appreciation for the food on our table, and the work involved in obtaining it. Most importantly, it gave them a great desire to eat raw fruits and vegetables, for they could imagine the vine, root, or stalk it came from and daydream about the farmers that picked them, how they got them to taste so good, etc. It piqued their curiosity. Food became a tangible and 'cool' thing to think and talk about. It inspired creativity in all of us.

It is a wonderful thing to see your kids get so excited about their garden. They jump at the chance to weed it, water it, cover it in the cold. It's their baby and they feel so rewarded when they see their hard work pay off with some little baby strawberries.

They look forward to reaping what they have sown....and I look forward to having a very tangible example to use when they are teenagers!