It was a perfect late June morning in the garden where Woodward Elementary campers, an assortment of friendly bugs and Delaware Master Gardener Volunteers met to explore pollination. The insects were intentional as the lesson was on pollination and “good” and “bad” bugs. MGV Nora Hiland brought a wealth of fun facts and a variety of flowers that campers examined through magnifying glasses as the MGV helpers pointed out how each type of flower was pollinated. Nora pulled out the “really fun stuff” – live insects in magnifying cases and dead insects in baggies. Some of our little campers shivered while others couldn’t wait to touch the mealy worms and cicadas. All were careful not to let any Japanese Beetles loose, especially after Nora showed leaf samples of the damage that destructive insects wreak. Breaking into two groups, campers rotated from making Patti’s oh-so-cute kinetic bee garden ornaments to weeding, harvesting and weighing lettuce and beets from their “PizzaTopia” garden.
Thanks to MGVs Nora Hiland, Patti Sharpe, Barb Butt and Gayle O’Sullivan for filling the hour with happy learning and to Brooke Decker and her team for reading “Henny Penny” to their campers before joining us in the garden. Campers were prepared and understood the importance of working in the garden and were very excited to pull weeds.
Delaware MGVs' “Youth Garden Resource and Education Project” occurs every other week throughout the summer.