The Mountain Arts Community Center is thrilled to announce the recent establishment of the Children’s Teaching Garden, generously funded by a grant from the Hamilton County Department of Health. This initiative aligns with the department’s mission to promote healthy eating habits from an early age, fostering a well-informed future generation.
Community gardens are a cornerstone of learning and unity, and Signal Mountain boasts a wealth of residents who bring invaluable expertise to these green spaces. Our new Children’s Teaching Garden is a vibrant educational environment where children can discover the origins of their food - beyond the aisles of the local grocery store.
Equipped with informative signage, the garden offers a hands-on learning experience about various fruits and vegetables, highlighting their nutritional benefits. To further enhance this educational journey, the garden features a specialized library that remains within the garden premises. This collection focuses on the significance of soil, earthworms, bees, and other vital elements of the ecosystem. Additionally, a vermicomposter has been set up in the “strawberry field” section, allowing children to participate in feeding worms with food scraps.
The garden is not just about observation but also participation. Children have access to flower, fruit, herb, and vegetable seeds at a child-sized potting table, where they can use recycled milk cartons to plant seeds and watch them grow at home. The magic of seeing a seed sprout and flourish into a plant is an invaluable lesson in patience and care.
Open to the public, the garden will also serve as a resource for educators, as well as be available for summer camps, homeschool groups, and preschool activities. Christopher Marinello, a Step One representative with the Health Department, is set to offer presentations on pollination, enhancing the educational scope of the garden (for more information, contact: [email protected]).
Adult supervision is required for children age 10 and under to ensure safety and a thorough educational experience in the garden.
This project was made possible by the dedication of many community members. Special thanks go to David Strachan for his countless hours crafting this communal treasure and to the Beta Club from Signal Mountain Middle High School for its efforts in setting up the garden beds and installing mulch and compost. Acknowledgments are also due to Avery Taylor (SMMHS) for the creative garden sign, Brenda Camp (Nolan Elementary) for organizing the collection of milk cartons, and Jim Webster (Old Towne resident) for supplying the mulch. The garden’s custom birdbath was beautifully crafted by Jennifer Boyd (Old Towne resident) at the MACC pottery studio. Our gratitude extends to Brian and Ellie Taylor (Walden) for their construction work, and Anne Hagood (MACC volunteer/Old Towne resident), whose initial suggestion about the grant made this garden possible. A heartfelt thank you to all the MACC staff for their support and contribution to this enriching project.
We invite the community to embrace this garden, nurture it, and enjoy its offerings as if it were your own. For those interested in volunteering for garden maintenance tasks such as weeding or watering, please contact me at [email protected].
Your participation is crucial for the success and sustainability of this beautiful educational space. Join us in cultivating a greener, healthier future for our children!
by Paige Taylor
Community gardens are a cornerstone of learning and unity, and Signal Mountain boasts a wealth of residents who bring invaluable expertise to these green spaces. Our new Children’s Teaching Garden is a vibrant educational environment where children can discover the origins of their food - beyond the aisles of the local grocery store.
Equipped with informative signage, the garden offers a hands-on learning experience about various fruits and vegetables, highlighting their nutritional benefits. To further enhance this educational journey, the garden features a specialized library that remains within the garden premises. This collection focuses on the significance of soil, earthworms, bees, and other vital elements of the ecosystem. Additionally, a vermicomposter has been set up in the “strawberry field” section, allowing children to participate in feeding worms with food scraps.
The garden is not just about observation but also participation. Children have access to flower, fruit, herb, and vegetable seeds at a child-sized potting table, where they can use recycled milk cartons to plant seeds and watch them grow at home. The magic of seeing a seed sprout and flourish into a plant is an invaluable lesson in patience and care.
Open to the public, the garden will also serve as a resource for educators, as well as be available for summer camps, homeschool groups, and preschool activities. Christopher Marinello, a Step One representative with the Health Department, is set to offer presentations on pollination, enhancing the educational scope of the garden (for more information, contact: [email protected]).
Adult supervision is required for children age 10 and under to ensure safety and a thorough educational experience in the garden.
This project was made possible by the dedication of many community members. Special thanks go to David Strachan for his countless hours crafting this communal treasure and to the Beta Club from Signal Mountain Middle High School for its efforts in setting up the garden beds and installing mulch and compost. Acknowledgments are also due to Avery Taylor (SMMHS) for the creative garden sign, Brenda Camp (Nolan Elementary) for organizing the collection of milk cartons, and Jim Webster (Old Towne resident) for supplying the mulch. The garden’s custom birdbath was beautifully crafted by Jennifer Boyd (Old Towne resident) at the MACC pottery studio. Our gratitude extends to Brian and Ellie Taylor (Walden) for their construction work, and Anne Hagood (MACC volunteer/Old Towne resident), whose initial suggestion about the grant made this garden possible. A heartfelt thank you to all the MACC staff for their support and contribution to this enriching project.
We invite the community to embrace this garden, nurture it, and enjoy its offerings as if it were your own. For those interested in volunteering for garden maintenance tasks such as weeding or watering, please contact me at [email protected].
Your participation is crucial for the success and sustainability of this beautiful educational space. Join us in cultivating a greener, healthier future for our children!
by Paige Taylor
RSS Feed