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In April the 4H club at Lighthouse met to plan a summer garden. After many ideas & a discussion of what can be grown in a garden a combination butterfly garden, salsa garden, and melon/gourd garden was the final plan. The butterfly garden is at one end with mammoth sunflowers (over 6 foot tall) separating it from the vegetables. Vines of watermelons, cantalopes, & gourds climb the sunflowers and cover the ground.

We've met every week during the summer spending time in the garden and kitchen. What's been learned from the garden? Why has this been an important lesson for 14 children?

1) The children learned how to read seed packs. We attempted to plant straight rows, though we weren't perfect. But that's okay because it's a garden planted by and for children. After a lesson on removing plants from the garden packs they're sold in and learning how to spread the roots the children went to UK on Main St. to plant flowers for them in their containers. 7 also planted flower pots for the County Fair. Alexis, Amber,Taraneshia, Sherrod, and Ja'Mesheia won blue ribbons; Paris won a red ribbon. All could have gone to the State Fair, but unfortunately they weren't healthy looking in August. Janieya won in the Cloverbuds, a division for 4Hers who aren't 9 at the beginning of the year.

2) We've picked ripe tomatoes for slicing and green to fry. Corn was picked, shucked, and boiled. Cilantro was used to season scrambled eggs and dried to take home. We've also picked cantelope and watermelon. Sunflower heads have been cut for us to learn how to salt and roast the seeds. And why gourds? They will be dried this winter and painted to be entered in next year's County Fair.

3) Journals have been kept by the gardeners. "I had never tasted a tomato before." "The corn is so good. Weeding was fun and the tomato was good." "Weeding: it is funer with a friend or group." "The tomato is so wonderful to me. The cilantro is like clover."

4) Pictures have been taken in the garden for entry in next year's fair. The lessons have included taking pictures of the same plant at different stages in growth. The pictures of the plants are some the children have taken.

Perhaps the greatest lesson this summer has been the pride and ownership they've felt as they've cared for a living, growing, child's garden.

So, what's next? I'm the leader of the 4H Club which meets every other Thursday during the winter. We began our club in February with CSI lessons on fingerprinting and ink identification, plus an introduction to the sewing machine. This year we will use 'Exploring Your Home' to learn how to use colors and textures while making items to decorate their rooms and enter in the fair. We'll also continue preparing the gourds and begin planning for next year's garden.