Adopt Teeny Tiny Green Thumbs

The National Gardening Association's "Adopt a School Garden" program needs you! This innovative program teaches kids from kindergarten to high school about where good, clean organic food comes from.  It also teaches them how to use the fruits and veggies they grow in healthy recipes.

Of course you noticed the word adopt" up there...what do they need from you? Well, given the state of lackluster public school budgets they need the basics. You can chip in with seeds, watering cans, trowels and even funds to provide a professional to provide their invaluable experience to the budding gardeners.

If you're wondering what a garden can do for kids, the NGA puts it nicely when they say: "We believe that gardening helps children grow -- mentally, emotionally, and physically. School gardens help students connect with nature and better understand where their food comes from, and they provide a context for teaching nutrition and encouraging healthy lifestyles. Gardens also provide opportunities for hands-on learning in subjects across the curriculum."

In other words, the next generation learns respect for the Earth and the good stuff that come from it. Kids who have an appreciation for where their food comes from are far less likely to eat unconsciously and can walk into any grocery store with important knowledge that allows them to make good food and eco-friendly decisions. Kids who garden eat more veggies.

The best part about adopting a school garden is that you are supporting a kid's garden right here in our own community. And no worries about adopting these kids - you don't actually have to provide them with room and board. It's like being Angelina and Brad, but not.

For all the details and information about how you can get involved, check THIS out. It doesn't take much to make a huge impact...isn't that what we always say?