The historic Wheatley School is helping kids learn the value of hard work through gardening for the third year in a row. Kim Allison of the University of Missouri Extension Office said the garden came about through a collaborative effort of the Community Resource Council, 4-H Council, Poplar Bluff Parks Department, and MU extension council.
The showcase of the growing plot comes as part of Missouri’s Good Neighbor Week. Since 2022, the week has been dedicated to encouraging residents to “participate in events and activities to establish connections with their neighbors,” according to the MU extension website.
Kathern Harris, director of the Succeeding in School tutoring program, said the garden is a unique way to engage the interest of her students and learn new eating habits.
“They get a kick out of it,” she added.
Harris said 21 kids participated in this year’s garden every week. The youth also get lessons in the kitchen on how to prepare healthy snacks with the vegetables they grew.
Master gardener Maurice Theriot, also a member of the MU extension council, donated fertilizer and provided guidance to the program. He recalled bringing seedlings from his house to give the garden a jumpstart when it first began.
“They love it,” Theriot said of the participants.
Harris said one of the best reasons for the garden was, “So they know where food comes from. Some of them were amazed sweet potatoes came out of the ground.”
Allison recounted, “Some of them had never even had a vegetable before.”
Planting in raised bed soil boxes, the youth have harvested broccoli, okra, chard, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, and more. Allison emphasized the importance of learning how food is produced.
“It teaches them how to grow their own vegetables,” she clarified, “we just wanted to share what we’re doing with the garden.”