The Fokas Family Garden is complete and now growing!

June 8th, 2012

Get gardening!

Revitalizing the garden this year with my kids and my husband was a very exciting project  for my family, getting them more involved on growing a garden. While the kids and I were planting the vegetables and berries the night before, the level of enthusiasm and excitement was absolutely amazing.

Anastasia had said to me “mom, why did you not make this kind of garden sooner? I love this and will be taking care of the garden this year with you! Nicoletta showed her enthusiasm by jumping in at every moment to plant another plant and dig another hole. These simple moments let me know I have done the right thing for my girls, and giving them hope and inspiration around growing their own food is certainly the best way anyone can learn how to “eat local!”

I have learned something new when it comes to teaching the kids healthy, sustainable and seasonal eating. It is about making growing, foraging and buying local food fun and meaningful. Knowing where their food comes from is so important today. It is about creating a space , a sanctuary of some sorts and giving the kids the confidence they need to live better through the food they eat everyday.

In the past years I have invited the kids to help me with the old style garden, that in a few short weeks was over run by weeds. They did not want to help me pull weeds that were actually bigger than them! Making the space more manageable and high enough for the kids to garden while standing upward is inviting. It is exciting for them to pick the plant to suit the box, the look and what they want to see.

Two days ago before the rain, very early in the morning Steve and I filled the boxes with soil with the anticipation the girls and I would plant when they came home form school. It rained until 7:00, shucks…and as soon as it stopped we started planting.

It was getting quite cloudy and grey by the time we finished, hence the grey in a few shots.

It was so worth the wait(:

Fokas on gardening with your kids this year!