Saturday the 8th was our first day at the Hollywood Farmers Market. For our first day, it was a  great turnout. We had about 8 participants, from ages 3 to 12.

Participants were shown plants, and asked to identify seeds and match them with the sprouts we already had from previous participants. We explained to them how plants come in different shapes, colors, and sizes, even though they might be called the same plant. We had a variety of plants, including squash, cucumber, corn, pepper, cantaloupe, and tomatoes. Participants picked the seeds of their choice, placed them into a cup of soil, and watered them. The next step was to wait two weeks, and visit us again to see their plant, which will be a seedling. Afterwards, they will get to take their plant home, and plant it into the ground to grow full size.

We hope to encourage young children to organically grow their vegetables, and learn to appreciate the effort that goes into growing a garden to fully enjoy the fruits of their own labor.

Come and visit us on the 22nd of June and learn about starting your own garden with a free demonstration with Dr. Talaat E. Shehata from the University of Maryland from 9 am to 12 pm. We are located in the back parking lot of the Hollywood Shopping center next to the R.E.I and Pizza Roma in College Park.

R.E.I’s Address:

9801 Rhode Island Ave  College Park, MD 20740

We look forward to seeing you!

Images from the 8th