Gardening Is A Family Afair

The garden should be a family affair, as children can learn much from helping in the garden. Sam takes care of the Banana trees and the Elderberry starts, which have since added 2 feet. In this picture we had just planted the cutting. He also likes to pick the peppers, though for this he still needs help. Without help he will mix up the hots and the sweets and it is harder to use and dry. Supervision is wise for 2 year olds. 

Sofia likes to take care of the squash and loves the big flowers that are coming on. She is all about color at 3 years old and likes the squash and peppers with all the different colors. She is able to do quite well at picking the peppers and making sure to keep sweet peppers from hot peppers.

Treasure is 7 and takes care of the grape vines and the strawberry patch. She waters and feeds them and prunes when it is time to do that. She also likes to help in the harvesting and preparing for drying. She can tripple wash and check for bugs. She made teas with me this last week. She knows how to cut the lettuces and greens so that they continue to grow and prides herself on what she knows. 

My granddaughter, the mother of the above children, is active in using the herbs, salad greens, and greens. She is also learning to can the produce, dry and prepare for storage, freeze, and loves making the teas and honeys. We go to the local bee keeper and get local honey and use it with ground herbs for relief from sore throats and allergies with the children. She is learning how to use the herbs in the medicinal garden and what is good for what. We have many different honeys for many different things. She is also watching the Elderberry bushes growing so tall and is waiting to make Elderberry syrup for the cold and flu season. 

The garden is a family affair and I am happy to pass on a wealth of knowledge to the next two generations.