Carter said the children haven’t seen the process of growing a plant. He wanted to bring it to the neighborhood and concentrate on growing things in small spaces.
“A lot of the times here in the urban city, we’re not really exposed to that kind of stuff, especially on a scale that really brings that gardening understanding,” Carter said.
His youth garden club in West Dayton began in May of this year with children attending each Saturday. He said they showed interest and fascination from planting the seed, to watching it grow and finally tasting it in the end.
Carter’s initial plan was to show the stages of seed germination to harvesting in 12 weeks when he realized the classes should be extended.
“Then (I) actually did a class on how to can and preserve a couple of different things, but as it went on and on I just realized this shouldn’t be a 12 week thing,” Carter said. “Maybe it should just keep going.”
“Nature has a different lesson every week,” Carter said. He said by meeting each Saturday, the children can develop the understanding of a plant’s growth.
“Ubuntu” is an ancient African word that means ‘humanity to others.’ Mary McDermott nominated Carter as a Dayton Daily News Gem and used the term to describe Carter’s service to youth.
“‘Ubuntu’ stands for ‘I am because we are’ and it really represents him,” McDermott said. “He brings that sense of future. Not just with the children, but (with) food and growing and knowledge.”
McDermott’s daughter attends Carter’s garden club and said she hasn’t missed a Saturday club session. When she asked her daughter what her favorite part about gardening that day was, she said “everything.”
Fruits and vegetables are grown in Carter’s garden and McDermott said vegetables are the primary plants growing right now. She also said Carter has planted flowers that purposefully deter bugs from eating the crops.
She said it’s amazing.
Carter had been assisting the youth previously through a little league baseball program, but he said he never imagined a club to form such as this one.
“We started from scratch. Their kids have actually built and done these gardens themselves,” Carter said.
Carter said the cost to purchase necessary supplies for the start of his garden was near $100. He said the compost soil was the most expensive supply but that recycling and using materials around us is most important.
“He doesn’t charge us anything and just for him to give his knowledge and his time, you can’t put a price on that,” McDermott said.
Carter said that with a parent’s permission he will gather scrap wood for a child to take home, fill with dirt and begin to create their own gardens.
Currently, the garden youth club has planted a variety of marigolds.
“We have an abundance just flowing through the yard,” Carter said.
Carter’s plan is to have the youth garden club continue into the summer of next year.
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