GARDEN
For children like Maggie and Lilly Meltzer, gardening can be a fun family activity.
GARDENING TOGETHER AS A FAMILY
By S. MICHAL BENNETT Photography By JOEL RINER
O ne summer when I was a kid growing up in Texas, my mom painstakingly cleared out a mountain of weeds in our backyard and introduced our fam - ily to growing our own garden. The climate in my home state is humid and hot, and the soil quickly dries out and can become a dust bowl. While citrus may grow well in Texas, most vegetables need consistent care and watering, and the weather, from scorching temperatures to torrential downpours, can kill a garden faster than a couple of hungry gophers.
Our garden only lasted two or three years before we moved on to raising rabbits for showing at the county fair. Still, in that time, I grew to love the sensation of working the dirt with my hands, the heady scent of mature tomato plants, and the diversity of texture and color that each plant contributed to that corner of our yard. I have grown my knowledge and experience significantly since then, but those sweltering sunny days growing tomatoes in Texas will always hold a special slot in my memories.
Planting a kid-friendly garden and gardening together creates these unique, lasting memories as well as creative learning adventures. I believe that kids and gardens go naturally together. They get kids into the healthy outdoors and fresh air and provide a wealth of ever- changing situations that can capture their attention. Gardening together also offers natural lessons in math, science, investigation, community, responsibility, problem solving, and self-sufficiency. And the effort put into watching and helping plants grow transforms into a sense of
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