Katessa, Austin, and José pushed aside tomato vines, zucchini flowers, and leaves while looking for the weeds that were not supposed to be in the raised garden beds outside their summer classroom at Banta Elementary School.
The 8- to 10-year-olds like weeding because they care about this garden. “I want to keep the soil nice and clean,” said José, a fifth-grader.
Community gardens like this one are starting to spread like weeds through San Joaquin County with help from the San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE) Comprehensive Health Department, working with local government and businesses to promote nutrition in their communities.
Learn all about what made this garden – and others like it – grow in the latest issue of Outlook, available online now.
http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/dc0aabb8