When a seed is planted, it doesn’t grow into a candy tree.
That’s one lesson the Little Green Thumbs program has taught Saskatchewan elementary schoolchildren, says co-ordinator Adrianne Begg.
Whether a student is in a rural or city school, they all need to learn the wonder of how food is produced, she said. Even children from a grain farm may not know how vegetables grow.
Agriculture in the Classroom Saskatchewan picked up the program in 2007 from the Alberta originator, Nicholas Jones.
From a total of four schools last year, Little Green Thumbs has expanded this year to 50 schools involving 1,500 kids from Kindergarten to Grade 9.
Read Also
AgriStability updates offer stronger support for farmers
One of the most significant updates to the AgriStability program for the 2025 program year is the increase in the compensation rate.
The program offers free grow kits to schools that include seeds, soil, a grow light, a self-watering system and vermi-composting(using worms.)
Begg said the garden can be set up on a 1.3 by three metre table.
Schools that began their garden in September can be eating their produce in February.
The seed-to-salad kit includes lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, peas, peppers, herbs and flowers.
Most schools hold a celebratory meal in May or June.
Agriculture in the Classroom worked with the First Nations Agricultural Council Inc. of Saskatchewan to get funding for the kits from the provincial and federal governments and Heifer International.
Begg will provide a school with new seeds if something goes wrong with its garden. She also visits schools to talk about healthy eating, how individuals can help the environment and agriculture in a historical and cultural context.
For more information, visit www.littlegreenthumbssk.ca/.
