Bozeman Parks and Recreation establishes the first kids garden club

Bozeman, Montana – At Story Mill Park, the Bozeman Parks and Recreation Department is launching the city’s first Kids Garden Club, which will educate kids about gardening from April to September.

Melissa Hopkinson, the park recreation leader, said that the youngsters who join the club will be raising veggies. At their inaugural gathering on Thursday at the Story Mill Community Center, they will indoor seed the plants. The club will hold its planting party in June when the temperature is reliably warm, moving all the vegetables to the outdoor garden beds.

Herbs, tomatoes, beans, squash, peppers, and other plants will be planted by the club and cared after during the spring and summer, she said. Before the planting party, the students will be free to design their garden beds however they like.

The club will harvest the veggies in September and have a harvest party to eat the fruits (or vegetables) of their labor.

In addition to learning about gardening and which vegetables go well together, the group will also work on some enjoyable art projects, according to Hopkinson.

“I think these are wonderful skills for children to learn. One: you’re outside. Two: you’re learning through science, you’re learning how to design, too,” she said. “It sort of teaches you self-reliance. It’s a healthy lifestyle. It’s something you can take home; you can teach your brothers and sisters and it’s something you can enjoy and preserve.”

She added that Parks and Recreation were overjoyed to be able to host the inaugural Kids Garden Club.

The group will meet at the Story Mill Community Center on Thursdays from 4-5:30 p.m. for children aged 7 to 11. Online at bozeman.net, on the Parks page, you may see a complete timetable and register.