It took Cornell University eight pages to list all the studies now supporting their belief in what's being called "garden-based learning."
Studies all across the country are finding that kids who spend time planting and nurturing fruits and vegetables are much more likely to positively change their eating habits -- and that those eating habits have a very good chance of lasting a lifetime.
But that's not all! (I know I sound like a Ginsu knife commercial, but this is exciting stuff)
The studies also find astonishing connections between kids gardening and higher learning achievements, increased life skills and (maybe not so astonishing, but still neat) increased environmental awareness.
All this has given me a renewed interest in getting my kids out in the garden with me.
I remember it being easier to get my daughter to eat green vegetables than it's been with my son. When she was three, I told her the broccoli on her plate looked an awful lot like the trees her favorite dinosaurs in books ate. I think I may have even told her that broccoli was a special dinosaur favorite. That did it. I suddenly couldn't make enough steamed broccoli.
But my son is a tougher case. I've even tried telling him Spongebob loves green beans. No dice. He says Spongebob can HAVE his green beans.
But working in the garden just might do the trick. From personal experience, I know how wonderful it feels to put food on the table you've actually grown yourself. It's a wonderful classroom out there with the birds singing and little buds forming and bees circling, looking for pollen. Watching your peas grow a little bit every day makes the thought of eventually eating them that much more exciting.
It's pea planting time right now in the Northwest. I already have dirt under my fingernails and two little helpers at my side. I am full of new hope.
Have any of you had particular success with kids and gardening? What have you grown? I'd love to hear about it.