NEW CHILDREN'S GARDENING PROGRAM BEGINS JUNE 30 AT BARD COLLEGE.

ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y.- A new children's gardening program begins this summer in the
Community Garden at Bard College. The program is offered to children ages three and up,
without charge. Two sessions of four weeks each will be offered, from Wednesday, June
30, to Friday, July 23, and Wednesday, July 28, to Friday, August 20. Children will be
divided into three age divisions during the two sessions: KinderGardeners, Green
Thumbs, and Community Farmers.

Amy Foster, who graduated from Bard in May and coordinated the Earth Day celebrations
at the College, directs the program. Foster conceived of the idea after helping
children from the Astor Home prepare their garden. She has received funding from the
Captain Planet Foundation and Bard College for the program. In addition to learning
about gardening, children can bring home fresh, organically grown vegetables and
flowers each week. All participants will also receive a Community Garden T-shirt

KinderGardeners, ages six and under, will meet on Wednesdays, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.
Parents are asked to accompany their children. KinderGardeners will spend their time
with various garden work and activities, craft projects, scavenger hunts, and games.
They may spend a day learning about butterflies, earthworms, and flower arranging.

Green Thumbs, ages seven to twelve, will meet on Wednesdays from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30
p.m. They will work as a team to plant and maintain the vegetables and flowers in the
garden. Several garden activities offered for them will include making a garden salad,
plant illustration, and plant dissection. 

Community Farmers, aged twelve and over, will meet on Fridays from 10:00 a.m. to noon.
In addition to planting, weeding, and watering the garden, each participant will have a
special garden project to design, conduct, and present to others at the end of the
session. The project might be a scientific topic, a garden ecosystem model, or an
ethnobotanical study of plants in Bard's Community Garden. Community farmers are also
invited to assist the KinderGardeners on Wednesday mornings.

Each division is limited to six children, without charge. Preregistration is required.

Special Programs in the Community Garden are also offered for all ages. School groups,
community and senior citizen groups, clubs, and camps are invited to experience working
in a community garden. A related lesson can be constructed around the day's garden work
upon request. A small fee may be charged to cover supplies, depending on activity and
group size.

For further information and to register for a summer session or special program in the
Community Garden at Bard College, call Amy Foster at 914-752-4476.

This event was last updated on 03-02-2001

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