If you garden in Lake Highlands, then you know September is the time of year when North Texas gardeners start thinking about the fall harvest. Not only does the weather turn more hospitable for people, but plants also revive, bloom, blossom and produce.
One great way to enjoy nature and community connection right now is to explore events at the donation garden at the Lake Highlands Community Garden. Nancy Wilson, who works so hard at the donation garden she deserves a title (I suggest “Executive Vice President of Green Good Works”) recently talked to me about a pilot program to attract small children and their parents to the garden this fall.
“My Musical Mind” is a series of three workshops for children under 5. (How far under 5? “Little bitties,” Wilson says. There is no minimum age, but kids should be able to engage in finger play.) The curriculum was developed by Kathryn Hardage, whose credentials include master gardener, master naturalist and musician. Hardage will lead workshops planned around garden themes, with activities such as rhythmic chants and singing. There is no official charge for attending, although a small donation of $6 is suggested. The goal of the programs is to involve very young children in music making, in a natural setting, in community with their families.
What if you’re not under 5 years old, and don’t have a child that age?
Don’t worry. There are plenty of ways to get involved in the donation garden and the community garden, including (but not limited to) the following:
1) Visit the community garden — it’s inspiring and fun. Bees, butterflies, compost and the smiles of gardeners at work make it more than worth the visit. The garden is at 7901 Goforth, a few blocks behind Flag Pole Hill near a city of Dallas code compliance building.
2) Get on the waiting list for your own garden plot or, if you are super inspired by what you see, dig up a spot in your own backyard.
3) Volunteer to work in the donation garden, either on your own or with your church group, scout group or other service organization, for one or more sessions.
4) Donate money to the donation garden, which operates under the umbrella of Dallas Is Gardening, Inc., a 501c3 organization. The garden donates fresh produce to local food banks. Currently they donate to the Episcopal Church of the Ascension at Greenville and Royal and the Soup-Mobile downtown.
5) Donate specifically to help underwrite “My Musical Mind,” which will cost the organization about $150 per session.
Because this will be the first session of “My Musical Mind,” Wilson says she has no idea what to expect.
“Some people say it will be hard to get 24 kids,” she says. “But other folks ask me what I’m going to do about all the kids and parents I might have to turn away. I’m not sure which to expect!”
In case of an overflow turnout, Wilson is working on additional parent-child activities that sound almost as fun as the music class. Hint: Think seeds.
Classes are set for 2 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, strategically designed to fall between noontime brunches and small-child naps. If you’re interested in attending, mark your calendars for these dates: Sept. 18, “What grows under and above”; Oct. 2, “Butterflies and the Sweet Things of Life”; and Nov. 13, “What Goes Around Comes Around: Worms, Compost and the Cycle of Life.”
RSVPs aren’t required, but if you get a chance, advance emails would help Wilson plan. Contact her at nhw-home@swbell.net about attending, or if you are interested in volunteering or donating to the garden.
Better yet, if you want to meet her in person (and if you’re willing to take a chance on getting your hands dirty) drop by the Lake Highlands Community Garden on almost any Saturday, where you are likely to find her at work.
