Growing Good Kids at Junior Master Gardener Camp
In their last weeks of summer break, fifteen young gardeners joined us at The Arboretum for Junior Master Gardener camp, an annual camp organized by The Arboretum in partnership with Bluegrass Greensource educators. Our educator, Kara, and EELCorps members Cassie (Bluegrass Greensource) and Hannah (The Arboretum) became camp counselors for the week, working with campers to teach them more about gardening and expand their knowledge of plants in general. In addition to becoming more knowledgeable gardeners, campers also got to explore and play in the Arboretum and Kentucky Children’s Garden. At the end of the week, they toured UK’s Horticulture Research Farm and received their certifications recognizing them as certified Junior Master Gardeners!
Early in the week, campers learned to reuse materials to create recycled sculptures. Learning about the many “rooms” of the Arboretum! What can you find in compost? Learning about worms and other creatures that help break down our food waste. First day calls for sun hats!
We ended the week with a tour of UK’s Horticulture Research Farm. Campers loved collecting potatoes at South Farm. Potato basketball! Campers collected a bin full of purple potatoes!