Green Thumbs Sprinkler Day

The June 3, and final Green Thumbs event for this year, was another success.  To keep with our tradition, the third program included a fun sprinkler day, where the kids got the chance to cool off by running through the sprinklers.  It was a great time and we all had a blast! 

 The theme for this year's Green Thumbs was color in the garden.  The program started with Prissy Rouse, McFaddin-Ward House docent, reading, "The Indian Paintbrush."  Then the children were divided into two groups.  One group went to a station where they were to paint with watercolors made from natural dyes, made from food items like berries, beets, and coffee.  At the other station, the Green Thumbs got a lesson on nutrition, the importance of eating colorful foods, and were able to make their own appetizer from hummus, herbs, and cucumbers.  

Children that attended all three programs were given a special prize and were encouraged to bring their bean seedlings, planted at the first Green Thumbs program on April 8 to show off their progress.  At the end of the program, we turned on the sprinklers and museum curator, Allen Lea made giant bubbles for the kids.  It was a great day and we will be looking forward to next year's Green Thumbs events!  Follow us on Facebook for the latest details on all our events. 

 

Getting Ready for the Fall Season

Many workers make the job go quicker, with more laughs, and generate "best ways." The four garden beds were cleaned of dried up or harvested plants and made ready for the autumn season of growth. To winterize the area, more compost and organic fertilizer was amended into the ground (yeah! for composting). We did keep some of the herbs in the garden, like our basil, as they were still producing lovely additions.

The group of volunteers planted peas, potatoes, green onions, broccoli, carrots, and spinach. A joy to plant are the daffodils which will bloom in the springtime. We also planted more sunflowers. We have harvested the sunflowers from the summer, in anticipation of drying and then roasting those seeds. Yum!

The garden may look bare, especially with how abundant it looked earlier in the year, but just wait. We will once again produce food, treats, flowers, and other garden delights.

As always, we are looking for volunteers -- who get treated for their labors with produce from the garden. Call 409-832-1906 to be a garden volunteer.

Green Thumbs' Next Program June 11, 2009

Join us for our next Green Thumbs Program!

BUGS: "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly!"

Call today to register!

June 11, 2009

4:00-5:00 PM

Behind the Carriage House, at corner of North and 4th Streets

After a bug hunt and a lesson on insects found in our garden, kids can have fun playing in the sprinklers. Be sure to bring your swimsuit and a towel!

Remember, the program is free, but registration is a must. Call (409) 832-1906 or email ccuccio@mcfaddin-ward.org

Our green thumbs program is geared toward children ages 6-12 years. Our goal is to help cultivate a love for nature and gardening in Beaumont's youth.