Grant Supports Junior BUGS Gardening Program

Do you know how to add nitrogen to soil?

Do you know which plant keeps weeds at bay?

If not, ask the children who participated in the Berks Conservancy’s Junior BUGs (Berks Urban Greening) program.

A grant from the Royals Charities Fund of Berks County Community Foundation made it possible for children in the City of Reading to participate in an educational gardening program supported by the Berks Conservancy.

The Royals Charities Fund provides assistance to organizations throughout the Greater Reading area that serves underprivileged and disadvantaged youth and their families.

Beginning in the summer of 2008 and ending in the spring of 2009, children from Berks Women in Crisis (BWIC) daycare and 4th graders from Amanda Stoudt Elementary Schoolwere given the opportunity to learn about community gardening.

Each group of children was assigned a plot of ground to maintain during the growing season. The children were involved in plot preparation along with planting and harvesting.

Educational activities about conservation habits and taking care of the community were also part of the garden program. Children learned about the use of herbs for flavoring foods and medicinal purposes. Furthermore, they worked together to clear an abandoned alleyway park near the Amanda Stoudt Elementary School in order to plant a spring garden.

“The ability to connect children (of all ages) to nature and agriculture through our Berks Urban Greening (BUG) Junior BUGs program has been extremely beneficial to the children, and especially gratifying to our staff, board and volunteers,” says Tami Shimp, Vice President of Development and Community Relations at the Berks Conservancy . “We expect to involve more children each year through partnerships and the support of grants and the community.”