Kids Garden Class 2017

thistlebloom

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Yesterday started the 2017 garden season of Kids Garden Class.
11 kids came for a seed starting lesson. I split them into an early group and a later group. (I'm old but teachable!) 3 more of this years students will be coming Thursday for their seed starting lesson, because they weren't available Saturday.

There will be 14 kids this year. :eek:
(Pray for me!)

It was a cold day, and I decided last minute that morning to do it in the garage rather than in the house. See? I told you I was teachable!
11 kids and dirt+water inside? I don't know what I had been thinking.

But other than being chilly it went well. And somebody tell me why little girls think a t shirt with a hood is a "sweatshirt"?
Not a lot of sweating going on under those goosebumps, but I came through with my stash of kids sweatshirts I keep on hand for those moments. Silly kids. :rolleyes:
I have to give it to the boys, they were all dressed in warm coats. Uncharacteristically sensible.
Haha, no I'm joking @seedcorn , that wasn't sexist!

So they each started a tomato and a pepper in peat pots. We compared the growing info on the back of the seed packets to see the ideal soil temp for germination of different veggies, then took the temperature of a snowbank, some bare outdoor soil, and the bag of potting mix in the garage.

They trooped in to see my starts and the heat box I put the seed trays on, and took the soil temperature in those. 35 degrees warmer than the outside soil, and the bagged soil.

I was so encouraged at how much they are looking forward to this years garden class. I admit, I was tempted to not have one this year because of the huge time crunch that is summer, but those sweet eager faces, all asking if we were going to do many of the things we did last year clinched it and I decided it was a necessary thing for me to do this as long as God gives me the ability.

And a nod goes to Territorial for the good info they include on their seed packets. Also in their catalog. Information on planting depth, soil temperature, spacing, and indoor sowing times.
I know other seed companies do some or all of this also, but some do not. And a very well known one doesn't include useful planting info on their seed packets, or catalog.

It's going to be a good year. :)
 

seedcorn

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@thistlebloom Be honest, you were serious. Females think males could not survive without them telling us how to do things.....

First it's mothers raising us. Then girl friends telling us how smart and perfect we are. Then wives telling us if it wasn't for them, we'd run around naked, hungry and grunting.....with names like Mongo.

You are doing a great thing in sharing with the next generation.
 

thistlebloom

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Thistle are you doing this for your master gardener class or because you enjoy it ? The kids are lucky to have you.

Not for MG volunteer hours. Just my own selfish enjoyment of being around the neighbor kids. Getting to see little glimpses of the world through their eyes is like a tonic. They are also endlessly amusing.

My youngest kid, who just turned 4 today, came with his mom, who had planned on staying in case he was a handful. 'Mom, can you leave?' Poor mom, haha. He was actually very well behaved, though very happy and chatty. Afterward his mom asked him what he learned. 'I had a cucumber' he said. And he did, that was the seed packet he had for reading soil temps from. I was impressed that he remembered since I didn't dwell on it.

While I was handing out the pepper seeds (most of the girls picked YumYums ) he said 'hey, I don't want a girl pepper!' I assured him that he could plant one of the very masculine hot peppers which he agreed was better. Too funny. :)
 

ninnymary

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Wow, that's a lot of kids Thistle. It's nice to know that you are teaching future gardeners and that those kids are sitting in front of the tv all day.

Mary
 

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