You might recall that the cold temperatures in November killed the broccoli and cabbage that was growing at the Bains Lower Elementary (BLE) school garden. In the spring, the Pre-K and kindergarten students started working with Lanya Mayer, Play 60 Coach, and Layne Langley, LSU AgCenter Area Nutrition Agent, on their spring garden and 10 raised beds. They continued caring for the beds of carrots, turnips, and radish and planted more radish and turnip seeds in the spring. They also planted cucumber transplants.

In January, the kindergarten students learned about the Grains Food Group and why grains should be included in their diet. They participated in the Great Grain Train. The Pre-K students learned from the OrganWise Guys “Taking a Healthy Fitness Break” which encouraged the children to include physical activity every day. During the February school garden classes, the students discovered the Protein Food Group including animal and plant proteins. They participated in a relay placing food cards in buckets labeled animal protein and plant protein. The Pre-K students learned what they can do to keep a healthy heart while listening to the OrganWise Guys “All Hearts Need Love”.

The kindergarteners learned the importance of the Dairy Food Group in March and practiced some yoga poses for bone-strengthening. The Pre-K children also learned about the Dairy Food Group from the OrganWise Guys “My Favorite Drink in the World”. During the month of April, the kindergarteners participated in a MyPlate review by playing MyPlate SpinZone. The students would spin a magnetic fork which would land on a food group name. The children would then select a food that matched the food group they landed on. When the children landed on “physical activity” another child would spin the magnetic spoon. All the students would do the physical activity (squats, windmills, lunges, etc.) that the spoon pointed to. The Pre-K students heard the OrganWise Guys “I Think I Forgot Something” story which reminded the children to eat breakfast every day. In early May, the children harvested carrots. On May 10, Mrs. Mayer and Mrs. Langley prepared a recipe for air fried carrot fries. All the Pre-K and kindergarten children along with their teachers stopped by to see how the carrots were air fried and received a sample.

The school garden has provided the children opportunities to learn from touching, seeing, planting, harvesting, and tasting. It has also been a great tool teaching students about healthy eating habits and agriculture. Research shows that children are four times as likely to eat their veggies if they participate in school gardens. Research also shows that children who are exposed to fruit and vegetable gardens are more likely to eat fresh fruits and vegetables. That has certainly been the case at BLE. The children were always eager to try the vegetables that were harvested.

Special thanks to the Feliciana Master Gardeners who provided the seeds and transplants for the school garden at BLE and for also supplementing the carrot harvest so that all the Pre-K and kindergarteners along with their teaches could taste the carrot fries!

For questions about the nutrition programs at BLE, contact Layne Langley at 225-635-3614 or at lalangley@agcenter.lsu.edu