by Mari Radtke
Rain delays kept interrupting planting at the Sutherland Library. A planned “Kids’ Garden” utilizing 2 raised garden beds from the Sutherland Park Board and 7 lick tubs offered a few basic planting containers for veteran gardners Steve and Wendy Koch to lead a kids’ garden program at the library. Clear enough weather came through, finally, on Thursday May 16.
Fourteen kids, from 2 to 11 years old, waited out the rain to show up to get their hands dirty. Led by Steve and Wendy they planted peas, beans, carrots, squash, potatoes, tomatoes, onions and peppers. All items were donated from various people, but most came from the Kochs. There will be another planned get together to care for the garden on Wednesday after the South O’Brien final early-out. A schedule of “kid care” is expected to follow so kids and parents can be ready to pull weeds, water the garden and befpre you know it, harvest the fruit of their work. The project will continue throughout the summer. The kids who show up and help care for the garden will get to share the produce from their effort.
Sutherland Library Director Nancy Hill said, “My thinking is that kids will try a taste of something they planted and cared for. I’m hoping it will encourage kids to taste and find recipes for the produce.”