Compost is good for more than just your plants!

Did you know that compost can make kids healthy and happy too? Fellow community gardener Holly Baun and I found that out the hard way... or should I say the dirty way? While we were puttering away in the butterfly garden (horseshoe shaped garden behind the greenhouse) a week or so ago, our kids were having a grand old time playing king of the hill on the compost.

Puddles were a favorite of the younger set.

So remember that our garden is a family garden. We welcome and encourage you to bring your children or grandchildren with you. Let them explore and find new purposes for common, everyday things like compost and mud.

Spring break is coming up next week. It is also the national Screen-Free Week. Groups, organizations, and families across the country will be turning off everything in their home that has a screen. No computers, video games, or television! Our local Family Resource Center is going to be working with children in the garden on Tuesday, April 19th from 10-12 as part of this national event. Try your luck at going "screen-free" that week, too. Remember how much fun unplugging from our digital lives really is. Encourage your families to do the same. But be sure to be thankful when they chose the compost to play in, instead of the alpaca poop!

For more information about Screen-Free week, please visit http://www.commercialfreechildhood.org/screenfreeweek/index.html

Have a great spring break!
Rachel Jereb