Success Story4-H Jr. Master Gardeners Learn Health and Nutrition from the Garden



4-H Jr. Master Gardeners Learn Health and Nutrition from the Garden

Author: Alexandria Bryant

Planning Unit: Breckinridge County CES

Major Program: Health 4-H Core Curriculum

Plan of Work: Improving community wellness through nutrition, physical activity and safety

Outcome: Intermediate Outcome

The need for nutrition education is great in Kentucky, as it is a relatively poor state with a heavy burden of chronic disease related to poor nutrition practices. The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey provides data on overweight Kentucky youth and reveals that our youth rank 15.6% compared to the nationwide 12.7%. From a dietary standpoint less than 20% of high school students meet the dietary recommendation for fruit and vegetable consumption. In 2014, the Breckinridge County Extension Office in collaboration with the Hardinsburg Public Library began a Junior Master Gardener program to introduce youth to fresh fruits and vegetables and teach youth how to grow and prepare their own fruits and veggies at home. The 4-H Jr. Master Gardener program has continued to grow. In 2017, 40 youth graduated from the program, completing the 9-week summer program with a minimum of 18 hours of education. The program was taught by 7 Master Gardeners, 4 Extension staff, and 2 Breckinridge County Public Library staff. In addition to hands-on experience planting, maintaining, and harvesting from raised bed gardens at the Hardinsburg Branch of the Public Library, youth participated in hands-on lessons. Teaching resources included the 4-H Jr. Master Gardener Curriculum – Health and Nutrition in the Garden, as well as, MyPlate and SNAPed curricula. Activities taught planting techniques, plant requirements, structures and functions of flower and plant parts, thrifty gardening, IPM, plant propagation, and agricultural careers. Two sessions were dedicated solely to food preparation, nutrition, and kitchen safety. A graduation ceremony was held at the conclusion of the program. Post-surveys indicated youth felt confident they could plant their own garden at home (100%), could demonstrate knife safety (100%), understood how fruits and vegetables were good for their body (100%), followed a recipe at home and created a dish for their family (80%), tried new fruits and vegetables (100%), understood the benefits of shopping locally such as at the Farmer’s Market (100%), could determine the quality of fruits and vegetables (100%), increased their fruit and vegetable consumption (60%), and understood the benefits of canning and freezing produce (100%).






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