By Blanca Mendoza | Volunteer
2019 Jovial Garden season is in full swing. Our garden leaders have successfully planted 64 garden beds across MetroDenver with the help of amazing volunteers from Project Helping, Americorps, Alliance Realty, Boy Scouts of America, and many other volunteers including our Director's own Cousins, as well as, Niece and Nephew from Minnesota.
Our Directors Niece and Nephew, Madeline and Correy are teenagers aged 13 and 15. Despite living in a state rich with farming history, they have had very few experiences in a garden. Our Garden Manager asked our director to plant some potatoes, but not even she had done that before.
In 90 degree temperatures, Correy and Madeline dug out nine, 18" deep ditches down a 16' garden bed!! It was awesome to see Dianne, our garden leader, work with these kiddos. More acustomed to a life of books, video games, and concrete skate parks, Madeline and Correy worked while they laughed. Di asked Madeline to grab a bags of leaves and cover the base of the ditches to plant potatoes! In her excitement, she ran up and down the hill grabbing a handful of leaves each time. Dianne, in her mentorish wisdom chuckled to herself and called Madeline over for a quick chat. "You know, when you are working in the yard, its often easier if you bring all your tools and materials to the work space." Madeline chuckled, ran up the hill and grabbed the 1.5lb bag of leaves, and ran back to Diannes side where they planted 8 fingerling potatoes and 12 purple potatoes using Diannes fantastic growing techniques!
Our director asked if the kids were tired after that, but they both shook their heads vigerously "no". Kristina insisted on a water and snack break where they chowed on fresh strawberries and snow peas from the garden. After a break, she spent 2 more hours with the youth planting tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, and weeding the garden beds. Madeline and Correy told Kristina all about school, relationships, friends, and their favorite veggies while they played in the garden. Kristina called them, now back in Minnesota,to update them on the size of the potatoes! And, send them pictures showing their potatoes had grown over 1ft since planting!!! Gardening is such a great activity for bonding, health education, environmental education, and having fun. We hope you will consider bringing your family to the garden on your next summer vacation There are many groups like ours all over the US. Our garden crew meets every saturday from 9am-1pm to teach gardening at The Co-op at 1st.
If you can't volunteer (or even if you can) please consider telling your friends about us and/or making a donation this thursday for the opportunity of your donation being matched up to 50%
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