Five Summer Activities to Get You Into the Garden

Summer is upon us and just because school is not in session doesn't mean that we can't continue learning and being curious about what's happening around us. The SustainEd Farms team has put together a list of five ways to engage your senses, guide your curiosity and get you into nature.

This summer is gearing up to be a hot one. That means we all need to make sure we are staying hydrated! Not a big fan of drink plain water? Infused water is a great way to try garden herbs, experiment with different flavor combinations, and an easy way to increase your vitamin and mineral intake.

Some of our middle school students enjoy making teas, iced and hot, from things they find in their school gardens. One crowd pleaser included: thyme, mint, and rosemary! No need to dry the herbs - simply rinse them and then add them to water and wait.

Did your child join us for spring garden programming? Do you wish they had? Summer is a great time to keep kid's brains active by revisiting what they learned during the school year. Break up math flash cards and reading by making the pea power dip, carrot ribbon salad, planting some pea seeds or those potatoes that have sprouted while sitting at the back of your pantry! Neither of these need much room so a grow bag or planter works great if you don't have access to a yard.

Do you have flower seeds lying around? Try guerrilla gardening while on your next walk! Guerrilla gardening refers to the practice of spreading seeds or plants in a communal area that is neglected or bare. Bonus points if the seeds are for native pollinator plants like yarrow, milkweed, purple coneflower, or sunflowers.

Finally, identify 4 plants that you see frequently and learn more about them & their role in the ecosystem. Can you eat them? Are they invasive? Being able to identify the plants and animals around us builds confidence and allows us to be in the curious and in the moment.

We would love to hear which of these activities you choose to do and how they turn out. Tag us on social media @sustainedfarms or comment on this blog to share!