When Does Hyvee Garden Center Open

Funded byHy-Vee Mainstreet through their One Step grant program. Cared for byFlickinger Learning Center, Pearl City Outreach, and a group of Volunteer Master Gardeners headed byNancy Dew.

2018 Growing Season

Group of kids holding plants — The children visited the garden center at Hy-Vee Mainstreet, and returned with their chosen plants

transplanting strawberries — They also helped to transplant the strawberries

girl planting — Staff and volunteers taught the children how to plant.

Children gardening — Staff members and volunteers help the children learn to care for the plants.

Our children learn so much through the gardening Program. We are very grateful for everyone that helps make it a success!

planting seeds — Some of our plants were started with seeds. Planting from seeds takes faith and patience.

kids gathering around garden — Everyone is excited to see what happens next!

Children weeding raised bed — It paid off! Now the children get to learn about tending and weeding while we wait for harvest.

2016 Growing Season

Additional Bed Boxes for 2016

June 20

2016-left

2016-right

Results of weeding and watering, June 30

2015 Growing Season

Planting seeds in young minds and the earth.

Garden 2015

Garden2015-2

View of garden, July 3.

Close-ups of 2 of the garden plots

The Children's Garden and Cooking Project, a cooperative project of Flickinger Learning Center and the Hy-Vee One Step grant program, began in 2013.

FLC is able to continue the program with the support of Hy-Vee dietitian Nancy Dew. Ms. Dew also assists in guiding the cooking lessons that come with the harvest.

During the spring session, kindergarten through 5th grade students at FLC who finish their homework are invited to participate in the garden. The students prepare the seed beds and select the crops that interest them to complement the basic crops. A relaxed, natural, directed discussion of the ecology and biology of gardening flows during this preparation, leading many of the students to better understand where food comes from. Seeds and plants that can be planted this early are added to the seed beds during this phase.

In 2015, approximately 27 varieties of plants, including the decorative flowers, were chosen for the project.

After the school year ends, volunteer families come to the garden 2 times a week for weeding, cultivating and harvesting mature crops. Each gardening session gives a new opportunity to explore how gardens and plants grow.

At the end of the growing season, the final harvest will go into a group project of stone soup. The preparation and eating of the soup will feature a discussion of the book that inspires the soup.