Simpson County 4-H received an Agriculture Mini Grant through the Kentucky 4-H Foundation to provide youth gardening opportunities this summer. The primary objective of the grant request was to teach youth how to grow their own food, including harvesting, preserving, and cooking what they grow. The Simpson County 4-H Agent, along with the Agriculture Agent, Franklin-Simpson Schools Community Education Director, and the Franklin-Simpson Farmer's Market Coordinators, are partnering to lead and pilot a 4-H Summer Garden Club.  Thirteen youth are enrolled and meeting weekly June through August. 

These young gardeners are getting hands on experience both in club meetings and at home.  They have planted peppers, tomatoes, squash, and strawberry containers, along with an eggplant in a grow bag and flowers in a hanging basket to attract bees. Each member started trays of oregano, basil, cilantro, cantaloupe, pumpkin, spaghetti squash, & luffa seeds then transplanted the seedlings two weeks later to larger containers. The youth built a raised bed at the Extension Office with our Agriculture Agent then planted seedless watermelon and watermelon pollinator plants in it.  They planted marigolds around the raised bed to attract bees and have learned to deadhead the flowers each week.  The youth have learned the importance of bees in pollination and learned about germination by germinating bean seeds.  

The 4-H agent experimented with the club by trying to germinate seedless watermelon seeds in a chick incubator (and it worked) and having a local farmer teach the youth about seedless watermelon and how to grow them.  Club members have also learned that things don’t always go as planned when farming.  The day of the first meeting I picked up a tray of pepper plants being given to the youth by a local greenhouse only to realize they were covered in aphids, so instead of sending the plants home with the youth I made a lesson out of them.  They got to see what aphids were and learn how to treat both organically and with a pesticide.  While I panicked at first, it turned out to be a great learning opportunity!  The youth have also learned what powdery mildew is on squash plants and how to treat.  Members have also learned about succulents and planted their own succulent gardens for the fair.    

In addition to the 4-H Foundation Mini Grant, Tractor Supply Company Distribution Center has provided containers for the youth and potting soil for their projects.  While the 4-H Summer Gardening Club is a pilot project in the early stages we are already seeing a lot of impact!  Four of the club members joined our Farmer’s Market as youth vendors and have sold their produce through a Youth Booth the last two weeks, with more planning to sell in the coming weeks as their produce starts coming in.  Agents and club leaders have already seen so much success from what the youth are learning & producing, and look forward to even more impact throughout the summer.