New Additions to the Garden!
The Children's Garden has been updated for the 2016 year with a fresh new look! An additional two beds have been added to increase the amount of produce we are able to grow. The 4x4 beds now house two different kinds of tomatoes, radishes, zucchini, and yellow squash. There are now 18 different fruits, vegetables, and herbs growing in The Children's Garden! Our strawberries and raspberries are still thriving, and should be ready for harvest in the near future. The complete list of available produce is listed below.
The goal of the garden is to teach healthy eating habits to children by getting them involved in the growing process. We encourage parents to bring their young ones into the garden to experience their food using all five senses: touch the plants, look at their different colors, smell them, taste them and hear them crunch! Educational material has been posted, but we need help from parents too! We invite you to ask your children questions to spark interest in their food. Try asking your children how many fruits and vegetables they can name, what their favorites are, or why they think fruits and veggies come in all different colors! Check out the Q&A signs, along with our new herb wheel (shown below) for some hands on learning!
The Children's Blog will be updated weekly with new articles, recipes, and harvest schedule. The Healthy Sprouts Newsletter, located in the Olympia Pediatrics lobby, has combined its efforts with The Children's Garden. Together, they have created "Plant Profiles" for all produce in the garden. Profiles give plant information and fun facts! Check them out in the Plant Profile section!
This is YOUR garden! When produce is ready to be picked, all patients and their families are welcome to visit the garden to pick, gather, and harvest whatever is ripe. Try adding these fresh foods to your meals at home or as tasty snacks for your kids!
Produce in the garden includes:
Zucchini
Yellow Squash
Peas
String Beans
Carrots
Lettuce
Kale
Garlic
Cherry Tomatoes
Yellow Roma Tomatoes
Radishes
Strawberries
Raspberries
Basil
Rosemary
Thyme
Mint
Chives
