Kentucky Department of Agriculture

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Adults encouraged children to play in the dirt during a ceremony May 13 in Frankfort.

Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer proclaimed May as Youth Gardening Month in Kentucky. Rodger Bingham, deputy executive director of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s marketing office, delivered the proclamation at the Western Hills High School greenhouse.

“Kentucky’s most important crop is our young people,” Commissioner Farmer said. “Children need outdoor experiences to develop into well-rounded leaders, entrepreneurs, and citizens. Gardening provides opportunities for children to build a love of nature, discover how food is made, and learn to make good food choices. I proclaimed May to be Youth Gardening Month in Kentucky to raise attention to the need to teach our young people these valuable lessons.”

Bingham told the Western Hills FFA and Bridgeport Elementary School students assembled for the ceremony that he is a lifelong farmer, and he sees growing numbers of people taking up gardening as previous generations did.

“People enjoy seeing things grow and seeing the results when they get out and work with their hands,” Bingham said.

Author Karen Angelucci of Lexington urged the students to have some “unplugged fun” outside. “I want you to get out, and I want you to start growing some vegetables and some flowers if you choose,” Angelucci said. “Just get out there and play, OK? Leave your mom’s Blackberry and your dad’s iPhone in the house and get out there and play.”

“I’m here to tell you that it’s OK to play in the dirt,” state Rep. Ryan Quarles of Georgetown said. Quarles told of how his family came to Kentucky more than 200 years ago and has farmed ever since.

“Fewer and fewer people know where their food comes from when they go to the supermarket,” Quarles said. “It’s important for our youth to know, and to help educate other people to know, where food comes from.”

The Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s marketing office operates numerous programs for Kentucky students.  Two Mobile Science Activity Centers travel to schools throughout the Commonwealth to give students the opportunity to conduct agriculture-related investigations. The Department conducts an annual Poster and Essay Contest to educate children about the importance of agriculture in their everyday lives. The Division of Show and Fair Promotion conducts numerous livestock shows and runs a Kentucky Proud Points competition in which the top point-getters in KDA-sponsored shows are honored at the end of the show season. The Department has contributed more than $600,000 to Kentucky FFA and Kentucky 4-H since 2004.

 

Gardening and children's book author Karen Angelucci of Lexington speaks to Bridgeport Elementary School students and Western Hills FFA members during a ceremony proclaiming May as Youth Gardening Month in Kentucky May 13 in Frankfort. (Photo by Ted Sloan)