With the help of community Master Gardeners, Get Fit Itasca coordinates five youth gardens within the area - one located at the Itasca County Family YMCA, one located at the Deer River King Elementary School, one located at Bigfork Elementary School, one located at Vandyke Elementary School, and one located at Keewatin Elementary!

 

The Itasca YMCA youth garden is cared for with help from the YMCA's WeeFolks program.  The children participate in planting, weeding, watering, and picking the produce. Produce coming from this garden inclused asparagus, bok choy, kale, string beans, tomatoes, potatoes, and much more.  

 

The Deer River King School garden is cared for with help from the Deer River Boys and Girls Club.  This is a group with a large range of ages who are very involved with the garden.  Produce coming from this garden includes sweet corn, tomatoes, tomatillos, string beans, watermelon, broccoli, and more.

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The Bigfork garden was designed by the school wellness committee and high school gardening club in 2012. Growing a school garden fosters community, teaches kids where their food comes from, and gets them out in nature - promoting a school-wide culture of health. The garden offers kids the opportunity to grow their own food from seed, which encourages them to try new foods that enhance their diets.

 

The Vandyke elementary School garden is cared for with help from Children's Mental Health summer REACH program, the Learning Academy, and the Bovey/Coleraine Youth Center.

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The Keewatin elementary school garden was started with the Garden in a Box Program in 2019. It is cared for by Summer Learning Academy students and Community Education staff.

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Contact us if you'd like to be involved or get a new garden growing!