Fellow Associate Editor Jennifer Kongs and I lucked out when the Puyallup, Wash., FAIR workshops were scheduled: We got to present at the kids’ stage, helping kids blend homemade seed-starting mix, decorate pots and plant veggie seeds.
Here is the seed-starting mix recipe we followed if you’d like to try blending your own at home:
18 quarts vermiculite
12 quarts coir
12 quarts compost
3/4 cup (5 ounces) blood meal
1/2 cup (5 ounces) limestone
1 2/3 cups (1 pound) greensand
A million thanks to our friends at Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply for donating the supplies for the workshop.
The kids had great fun — and especially loved getting their hands dirty. They may have been a little shy at first …
But eventually they all dug in with gusto!
The kids were all smiles when they realized that getting dirt all over the place was not only allowed, but encouraged.
Jennifer helped each participant choose whether they wanted to plant broccoli, lettuce, beans or kale.
We made some wonderful friends and had a blast. Be sure to bring your kids to the next MOTHER EARTH NEWS FAIR to enjoy the fun, hands-on workshops.
Shelley Stonebrook is MOTHER EARTH NEWS magazine’s main gardening editor. She’s passionate about growing healthy, sustainable food and taking care of our environment. Follow her on Twitter, Pinterestand Google+.
