The Snohomish Conservation District (SCD) and Verdant Health Commission have teamed up to help teach kids at the Edmonds Boys & Girls Club how to grow their own food. The partnership’s Harvest at Home program is designed to increase access to edible gardening and fresh produce for South Snohomish County residents.
SCD donated the materials to build three raised beds and an herb garden in space donated by the Edmonds United Methodist Church. Four SCD crew members built the wooden structures on Tuesday. For now, the beds lie empty while kids in the club research what herbs, berries and greens should be planted next spring. Meanwhile, they will learn how to grow seeds indoors over the winter and plant them outside as the weather starts to warm up next year.
This isn’t the club’s first foray into edible gardening. In May, participants in the club’s before- and after-school programs planted veggies in existing beds at the church, and summer campers maintained and harvested them.
“The kids have really loved it,” Director of the Club Ken Cooper said. “They did lots of weeding and picking of vegetables – zucchini, chard, green beans, kale and collard beans.” The club donates 10% of the harvest to the Edmonds Food Bank.
The just-created garden beds will support the club’s Healthy Habits program, an approach that integrates the benefits of good nutrition, regular physical activity and overall well-being into all of its activities.
“The community garden is really an outdoor classroom where we can show kids the value of good nutrition and being active outside,” said Ken Salem, director of strategic initiatives at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Snohomish County. “This is a great way to help kids form lifelong healthy habits. And hopefully they can take some of that knowledge home to their families.”
To learn more about the Harvest at Home program, email pcrispin@snohomishcd.org or call 425-535-0530. If you would like to learn about the free gardening and urban agricultural technical assistance available in your area, email outreach@snohomishcd.org.
