2005 Year in Review

Heidi Benson Teaches Children About Gardening

Heidi Benson shakes the dirt from a plant.

Heidi Benson was asked to teach area youth the fundamentals of gardening. Every Wednesday for 11 weeks Heidi met with the children ages 8-12 at the Whiteside County Soil and Water Conservation building planting, weeding, watering and learning about gardening.

"Garden Clubs have been going on in Whiteside County for over 20 years," stated Heidi. "This year there were three different gardens. The Sterling Rock Falls Day Care attended a Garden Club at the Senior Center in Sterling. In Morrison the Garden Club had open enrollment. The Fulton Day Care hosted and attended a Garden Club."

“Although we were short on rain for most of the summer, our gardens have been producing many lovely crops. The children all planted, weeded, watered, harvested, and occasionally got to play in the mud, stated Heidi. “The donations helped us to have a wide variety of plants and keep the gardening opportunity free for your kids.”

Master Gardeners from the Whiteside County Extension Office assisted with their experience and knowledge of gardening. K & R Greenhouse, Morrison, Hillcrest Greenhouse, Prophetstown and Selmi’s Greenhouse and Farm, Rock Falls donated the seeds and transplants for this project.

The children set up the rows and planted the seeds and transplants. Vegetables growing in their garden consisted of green beans, onions, cauliflower, cabbage, sweet corn, kale, tomatoes, eggplant, green peppers, zucchini and cucumbers. They also planted marigolds and sunflowers.

They also learned about the water cycle, pollen, the affects of worms and insects in a garden, the part of a flower and acted out a play on gardening. They were also given a survey to fill out on what they liked and enjoyed about the program.

Some comments stated by the children about their experiences were:
Sam Ottens - "I liked messing with the worms."
Kira Riggen - "Harvesting was something I learned and liked to do."
Sadie Onken - "My favorite vegetable is onions because they are easy to pull."

Heidi has been involved in 4-H for 10 years and has helped out in many different aspects of the 4-H. She will be attending Monmouth College this fall and is studying Elementary Education. She is the daughter of Phil and Barb Benson of Morrison. This is the first year she has led the Garden Club.

For more pictures of the Garden Club taken by Kim Topp and Heidi Benson see Photo Album

by Dawn Zuidema, theCity1.com
August 12, 2005