Kids Garden News

Explore a Historical Era
Gardens = and farms=20 evolved over time as people adopted new practices and grew = different crops=20 to match needs and available resources. You can use observations = about=20 unique planting patterns and agricultural changes to define = different=20 historical eras. Here are a few examples you might study in the=20 garden.

The=20 Incas of South America introduced European explorers to a = rainbow of=20 potato varieties.

The = Age of=20 Discovery
Global = exploration=20 flourished during the 15th and 16th centuries. European sailors = set out to=20 find new trade routes to the Far East =96 a source of valuable = plant-based=20 spices such as pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. On = their way,=20 they =93discovered=94 the New World where Native Americans = introduced them to=20 crops such as potatoes, beans, peppers, tomatoes, and squash; in = turn,=20 Europeans introduced their own foods =96 carrots, wheat, rice, = oranges, and=20 wine grapes =96 to the Americas. Seeds of=20 Change Garden Project offers myriad activities to help you tie = your=20 garden to this era.

Colonial America
American = colonists=20 depended on gardens for survival. They grew food crops, medicinal = herbs,=20 and favorite plants that reminded them of the homes they left = behind=20 (providing important psychological benefits). Learning how to = adapt to=20 American soils and climates was often challenging, but over time = the=20 newcomers developed skills and identified crops for consumption = and for=20 trade.
Herbs in Colonial Life
Aromatic Lessons
Historic Herbal Theme Gardens
Colonial Williamsburg Gardens

World War = II
During=20 World War II there was a major strain on the American food supply = because=20 the United States had to ship large quantities of food overseas to = feed=20 the troops. At the same time, many farmers and farm workers had = joined the=20 military, which led to a decrease in crop production. As a way to = overcome=20 this predicament, the government created a Victory Garden campaign = to=20 promote home gardening. Americans were encouraged to grow their = own food=20 so the government could send more overseas to support the troops. = Growing=20 a Victory Garden was a way for people at home to do something that = directly fulfilled their patriotic spirit and helped win the war. =
The Smithsonian=92s Victory Garden
Victory=20 Seed Company
Fruit from Washington
Lesson Plan: GIs, Gals, and = Gardens

Introduce a=20 Culture
In addition to changes in = gardening and=20 farming over time, each culture also developed unique agricultural = practices and traditional crops. Common plants and foods of a = culture are=20 a great entry point for gaining understanding and appreciation for = a=20 culture as a whole. Students can grow traditional crops of the = culture=20 they=92re studying, then harvest them to prepare and enjoy special = cultural=20 meals.=20

Three Sisters = Garden
Many Native=20 American cultures planted corn, beans, and squash (referred to as = the=20 =93three sisters=94) in mounds. The growth habitat and nutritional = content of=20 these three plants complemented each other, creating a successful = garden=20 design.
Creating a Three Sisters Garden

Aztec Floating=20 Gardens
The Aztecs of Central America had the = challenge of=20 growing crops in poorly drained, swamp-like land. They overcame = this=20 agricultural disadvantage by creating gardens that "floated" on = the water.=20
Brief Description of Floating Gardens
Floating Gardens: Early Hydroponics
How to = Build a=20 Floating Garden
Floating Gardens Today

=93Multicultural=20 Mirror=94 Garden
Suggest that each of your students = investigate=20 their own heritage to create the foundation for a garden that = reflects the=20 culinary traditions of their ancestors. You=92ll find lots of = entry points=20 at Food and Culture and Growing Cultural Understanding. =

Explore an=20 Event
Plants have played a major part in = historically important events. Try growing these plants helps the = event=20 come alive to students.

Tulipmania
Tulips were the focus of a = 17th-century=20 economic craze known as Tulipmania. The popularity and scarcity of = the=20 tulip bulb led to a frenzy of speculative trading in the = Netherlands =96 the=20 center of the tulip world. At Tulilpmania=92s peak, people were = paying the=20 modern-day equivalent of $76,000 for one tulip bulb! Eventually = the market=20 crashed and devastated the economy.
Plant of the Month: Tulip
Stock Market Crash: Tulipmania

Irish Potato=20 Famine
Potatoes originated in Peru, but thanks to = their high=20 nutrient content and ease of production they became an important = staple=20 food in Europe. In fact, people became too dependent on the = potato, which=20 is well documented by the tragedy of the Irish Potato Famine. = Beginning in=20 1845, Irish potato crops were destroyed by a newly introduced = fungal=20 blight, leading to a multi-year famine. Hundreds of thousands of = people=20 starved and millions more emigrated to other countries. This = highlights=20 not only the importance of diversified agricultural practices, but = also=20 demonstrates the potential devastation of foreign diseases on = plant=20 species.
Irish Potato Famine
Digging Deeper with Potatoes

Lewis and Clark=20 Expedition
Commissioned by Thomas Jefferson in 1803, = the Lewis=20 and Clark Expedition gathered important information about the = western=20 United States, including a vast amount of native plant life. = Introduce=20 your students to this important mission by planting some of the = native=20 species documented on the expedition. They can also practice = collecting=20 and cataloging plant material in the school garden or = habitat.
Lewis and Clark Herbarium
Inside the Corps of Discovery
Interactive Journey Log of the Corps of = Discovery
Collecting Plants: A Pressing Project =

Study = Important Historical=20 Figures
Another way to put a face on plant-related history is = to learn=20 about famous historical figures who furthered our understanding = and=20 appreciation of plants through their dedication to gardening = and/or=20 science. Here are a few examples.

George Washington = Carver focused=20 his research on sustainable agricultural practices to help benefit = small=20 farmers in the South. He also published information to help people = grow=20 vegetables and prepare nutritious and economical recipes.
George=20 Washington Carver National Monument
How to Grow the Tomato and 115 Uses for the=20 Table
How the Farmer Can Save His Sweet = Potaotes...
How to Grow the Peanut and 115 Ways to Prepare = it for=20 Human Consumption

Thomas=20 Jefferson made political contributions during the = founding of the=20 United States and as the third President, but he was also a farmer = and=20 avid plant collector. His Virginia plantation, Monticello, is well = known=20 for its extensive gardens.
Gardens=20 at Monticello
Thomas Jefferson Center for Historic Plants =

Dr. Norman Borlaug directed research at the = Cooperative Wheat Research and Production Program in Mexico to = develop=20 more efficient farming practices and better varieties of crops to = increase=20 food production around the world. His wheat breeding work resulted = in a=20 disease-resistant variety that produced higher yields than = traditional=20 varieties. Farmers in India and Asia planted the wheat and = increased food=20 supplies, staving off starvation among their growing populations. = In 1970,=20 Dr. Borlaug received the Nobel Peace Prize for his part in saving = millions=20 of lives in Third World Countries. (Use L= esson=20 2 to introduce your students to plant breeding.)
The Norman Borlaug Heritage Foundation=20 Curriculum

Pursue Botanical=20 Biographies
Just like people, every = plant=20 species has its own story, inspired by its unique structures, = growth=20 habit, growing requirements, native region, cultural uses, and a = log of=20 its travels (as people transported it around the world). Lesson 1 = provides=20 ideas for student research on plant origins; the following Web = sites=20 provide useful background information.
Food Plant Life Stories
Plants with a Purpose
Our Vegetable Travelers
The Food=20 Timeline
Dyeing with Plants
Making Paper

These = are just a=20 few ideas to get you started. = Lesson=20 1: Writing a Plant Biography, and = Lesson=20 2: Introduction to Plant Breeding offer additional = suggestions. And be=20 sure to see what pilot teachers have to say about the Harvest = of=20 History online curriculum!