The value of a year-round garden for early-years education and community engagement
We recently sat down with Janet Wheaton, Adult and Family Program Coordinator at LEARN Inc. in Roblin, Manitoba. LEARN Inc. purchased a Les Verts Terrace Pro Indoor Garden last winter and has been using the system in their early-years education programming, Time for Me.
What is the Time for Me program?
The goal of Time for Me is to provide family educational programing which help parents understand the developmental needs of the individual child and the family. As an early literacy program, it helps promote communication and language development in children. In addition, Time for Me creates an opportunity for parents to network with others and builds community engagement.
Time for Me offers programming for newborns through to age 5. In Roblin, Time for Me partners with the local library – further supporting literacy, reading and learning skills.
Occasionally, moms will come on their own (as their “Time for Me”) to network and learn communication skills for their families.
How many learners do you have participating?
We have 22 children registered and 17 parents participating in the fall program in Roblin.
How does indoor gardening help meet you program goals?
One of the projects that has seen considerable success is our “plant a seed” project. Each child plants a seed and witnesses the germination and growth of a plant from this simple, small thing. We develop dialogue about the seed, how it has changed, and what it is turning into. These discussions support language development and communication skills.
By incorporating an indoor garden into our programming, we are able to both plant a seed, watch it grow, AND harvest the food that seed produces. The addition of the harvest means children are engaged throughout the process and have an appreciation of where their food comes from.
An additional benefit of our indoor garden has been an increase in interest in leafy greens and an excitement for healthy food choices. Several of the children in our program did not really enjoy consuming leafy greens or healthy vegetables until they were part of the growing and harvesting process. Our indoor garden has increased consumption of healthy greens in many households since we’ve introduced into Time For Me.
Introducing healthier choices at a younger age has been a benefit in our community.
Tell us about your experience using the Terrace Pro Indoor Garden System and how it has become a part of your Time for Me program.
We received our Les Verts Terrace Pro Indoor Garden in January 2024 and have been actively growing in it since it arrived. The set up of the system was very easy. The unit was completely assembled and all we needed to do was connect the supplied plumbing and fill the reservoir with water. An easy-to-follow How to Guide provided instruction for fertilizer addition and Grow Guides gave step by step planting details. The lights and hydroponic pump were easily programmed via an app so we were up and running within hours of having our Terrace Pro delivered.
We have found that it takes very little time to manage the system and we have enjoyed having our own ultra fresh greens grown right in our facility!
Because the Terrace Pro is so accessible, has no sharp corners or edges and is very sturdy (making it safe for operation in a child care setting), we are comfortable adding it to our Time for Me Program immediately. Program participants had fun naming the system, enjoyed their “farm time” and particularly enjoyed the fruits of their labours. (The microgreens, in particular were a big hit!)
As most Canadians are aware, winters can be long and dark. Our Terrace Pro has been a bright spot for not just us, but for our numerous Centre visitors in the cold winter months. We’ve observed repeatedly that visitors are drawn to it immediately and the system has garnered a lot of interest in the community.
What do the Time for Me participants think of the Terrace Pro?
Here’s what Amanda B., a mom to three of our participants had to say about the Terrace Pro:
“My children’s excitement for the Terrace Pro indoor garden has been a joy to watch. Initially unsure, my youngest son became fascinated once he understood how it worked, and now he eagerly harvests fresh greens for our salads. The girls, already familiar with gardening, have also embraced the garden, inventing fun names like ‘Leafy Lane Gardens’ for it.
“Their favorite part? Checking on the growth each day and seeing real results from their care. As a mom, it’s been educational for me too. I love learning about innovative gardening alongside them, and it’s heartwarming to see my children develop a hands-on interest in where their food comes from.
“They’ve even started eating more greens, trying out salads that include fresh picks from the Terrace Pro. This garden has truly enriched our family’s life, making healthy eating and gardening an exciting adventure for my kids.”
Future plans for the Terrace Pro Indoor Garden in your community?
We are a multi-use facility, so in addition to offering Time for Me, we also host numerous adult programs and services. This fall, Immigrant Services will be using the facility for their programs, so it will be wonderful for our newest residents to see that fresh produce can be available year-round.
In addition, we look forward to using the Terrace Pro as a nursery for our Community Green Space (sponsored by our local Chamber of Commerce). We will start a broad array of flowers and ornamental plants in the Terrace Pro this winter for spring transplanting.
As an adult learning centre, we will be hosting workshops on food security, hydroponic growing and food safety over the winter months. The Terrace Pro will be the perfect backdrop for these sessions. Produce planted and grown from these sessions will make its way to our local food bank.
About L.E.A.R.N.
L.E.A.R.N. Inc was founded in 1987 by a group of senior citizens from St. Lazare and area that wanted to improve their literacy skills. The area of service covers the communities of Roblin, Russell, Birtle, Binscarth, St. Lazare, Rossburn and McAuley and their surrounding areas. The program has since expanded to include community programs fostering language development, reading and oral communications.
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