Unfortunately, getting children to eat vegetables has always been a difficult task.  However, the directors of the Grow & Learn Day Care Center thought if children could learn to grow their own food, they might be more willing to eat it. They talked to the Snap-Ed Nutrition Assistant from the Madison County Cooperative Extension Service about this idea during one of her monthly visits. The assistant was about to begin a nutrition class called “Where does our food come from” with the 40 preschoolers and thought this would be a great time to plant a children’s salsa garden.

The assistant contacted Sustainable Berea (a community partner) to obtain a raised bed and soil. They graciously agreed to a much discounted price and threw in delivery and installation in exchange for an advertising sign to be placed in the garden. Then, a coalition formed between the Horticulture Agent, the Nutrition assistant and the day care directors to plant the garden and educate the students. The horticulture agent bought three tomato plants, two pepper plants and fertilizer with the remaining balance from the $100 youth garden money allotted to each county. The Madison County Extension Service also donated tomato cages, watering cans and straw. The garden was planted and mulched with straw by four very willing preschoolers and both Nutrition Assistants. In the weeks that followed, the preschoolers were responsible for watering, after-schoolers were responsible for harvesting and all were to weed as needed.

The tomato yield was so great (estimated 130 pounds) that preschool ate snack and lunch every day from their harvest with enough to provide another 40 after-schoolers an afternoon snack. At one point there was even enough for the children’s families to take some home for evening meals. Although the pepper plants only produced two small sweet peppers, the children ate them proudly, now knowing how to grow their own food. The director reported that all 80 children participated in maintaining the garden and loved it so much that occasionally she would catch them popping cherry tomatoes into their mouths coming and going to the playground. As a result of this project, Sustainable Berea has offered to provide the daycare with another raised bed next year.