This post was sponsored by Tree Top but if you’ve met me, you know how much I LOVE to garden… so all opinions are most definitely my own. 
I grew all of these things… including the kid…
The goal had always been to teach the kids about planting and the science of growing things, but until this year neither of them were much interested in the garden except to eat everything that came out of it. This my friends is a HUGE bonus of growing your own vegetables, because no one was more shocked than I to see my 1.5 year old last summer whispering sweet nothings to the kale plant while she nibbled on it’s leaves. Amazing if not a little disturbing.
This year the Big Kid was finally interested enough to plan his own garden and the Peanut deigned to take time out of her busy princess schedule to help. After all, what princess doesn’t love shopping, even if it’s for seeds? Luckily the kids got to use one of my raised beds to grow their seedlings, so the seeds have been started and various designs for their garden have been discussed. Smiley faces with lettuce? Circles of Eggplants? Once it starts growing, sure, why not.
The Big Kid was required to write out all of the name stakes, since a) I usually forget and have NO idea what we’re growing and b) he needs the practice for school… so win-win, right?
The Peanut also wanted to write stakes but I think she ended up with more on herself… but it was fun and permanent marker comes off eventually. Or so I’ve heard.
Making the raised vegetable beds was pretty easy, but even if you don’t have the room, you can always use milk crates to create a garden with your kiddos that will still create amazing vegetables or flowers. And the bonus of the milk crates is that if you suffer from airborne pests (like the dang BIRDS I have) or your weather isn’t the best, you can always move them around to a safe or warm place.
Gardening for kids is amazing. Being outside with your hands in the dirt calms the soul, quiets young minds (heck any mind) and brings families together. And teaching children about growing things, how they can create food from the earth with their own two hands – is priceless. This is one of the best spring or summer activities for kids and is also a great way to celebrate Earth Day. When you teach them where it comes from and how it grows, somehow that veggie tastes that much more delicious.
Tree Top couldn’t agree more. A grower owned co-op deep in the heart of Washington’s apple country, they think they shouldn’t only bring you the highest quality fruit, but help parents and communities in raising their own good apples. As part of this commitment, Tree Top has teamed up with KidsGardening.org, donating a dollar from every purchase of Tree Top Apple Sauce Pouches to help fund community garden projects across the country.
While we may live in farm country, surrounded by gardens and fruit trees, not every kid out there has access to fresh fruits and vegetables, a fact which KidsGardening.org and Tree Top are looking to change. After all, it’s been proven that not only do their programs provide healthy food to families around the country, they also improve eating habits, classroom performance and cut down on juvenile delinquency.
So you get delicious Tree Top Applesauce pouches, which are a perfect, pure fruit, mess-free snack on the go or for when your master gardeners need a break.
And someone else gets a happier, healthier life.
Awesomesauce.
So not only is Tree Top giving money away to KidGardening.org, they want to help YOUR kids get their garden in order. Enter to win a kids gardening set valued at $60… and one of YOU will win from MY blog.
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Tree Top.
