Carrots

Carrots take a little patience... Most of the kids who have planted carrots have pulled at least one out, because they just can't wait to see how big they are underneith the ground. Darlyn, above, actually had some decent sized ones. Little Paola, pulled most of hers out when they were just a long as a finger, and as round as a nickel. She was bragging about how huge they were and was going to take them home to make juice from them in the blender.
Anyway. The other day I was talking with a lady in the community and she was asking me how old kids had to be to garden with me. I said that I prefer that they be in school. I went on to tell her how the point of the garden isn't so much that they kids have perfect plots or make money, but that they have something of their own and learn to care for it. She said, "That's not an idea that you see much here... that the kids would have something of their own. That they'd have the responsability for something of their own..." And I realize how powerful it is to entrust a child with something-- to let them know that we believe that they can do it (whatever it may be, not just gardening) and actually let them have at it. I pray that the Lord will use this garden to let the children know that we trust them and love them even when they fail and will continue to give them a new chance.