Little green thumbs

Aiden gives some mulch to the pumpkin plants.

A garden club initiative has been giving local children’s green thumbs a weekly work out.
Casey Child Care and Kindergarten Centre manager Debbie Porter said the children had been learning about sustainable living and caring for the environment during their club sessions.
“It has been wonderful to see the children engaging with the natural environment and watching as their level of participation and initiative grows each week,” she said.
“Daily watering of the fruit trees and constant checking for bugs in the vegies has been lots of fun.”
It is not just gardening that the children have been trying their hands at. They have also been learning to prepare food.
“With pumpkins, potatoes, silver beet, carrots, parsley and lettuce just some of the crops to date, the children have cooked up a storm with salads, tabouli and pumpkin and potato soup,” Ms Porter said.
Class discussions have included topics such as being water wise, she said, and learning that food doesn’t come from a supermarket.
“Children at Casey Childcare are having every opportunity to experience food from its natural source,” Ms Porter said.