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  • Walker County Master Gardeners Billie Lee, left, and Susan Moran, right, presented a program about planting seeds to children at the Huntsville Public Library Wednesday. The program is the first of several events Master Gardeners have planned for the children’s department. The next presentation, on cuttings, will take place in June. Mary Rainwater

    Garden Sprouts

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March 17, 2010

Library program sprouts young minds

By Mary Rainwater Staff Reporter

HUNTSVILLE — Walker County Master Gardeners spent some time planting seeds about planting seeds during a program for children at the Huntsville Public Library Wednesday.

The program, called “Garden Sprouts,” was led by Master Gardeners Billie Lee and Susan Moran, who spoke to the 20 children and nine adults in attendance about spring gardening and planting seeds.

“Children are our favorite people to talk to about gardening,” Lee said. “We really had a lot of fun with them.”

After a short discussion on what it takes to make a seed grow — soil, light, water and fresh air — library children’s coordinator Kim Mason read the book “Seeds, Seeds, Seeds” to the children.

Moran and Lee then discussed another book with the children, “From Seed to Plant” and presented them with their own seeds to water, observe and plant at home.

Wednesday’s program was the first of several similar events Master Gardeners have planned for the Huntsville Public Library’s children’s department. The next presentation, on cuttings, will take place in June.

“Through presentations like these, we hope that children will begin to appreciate gardening at an early age,” Lee said. “We want to instill in them the desire to go out and plant.

“Teaching them how to make a seed grow is a good start,” Moran added.

Walker County Master Gardeners do work with local schools, such as Samuel Houston Elementary and Gibbs Pre-K Center, in developing young gardeners.

“Our goal in everything we do is to educate the public on horticulture practices,” Lee said. “We have done programs for organizations like the Audobon Society as well as lectures for adults here at the library.

“We will go to any club or organization that asks.”

Walker County Master Gardeners are trained volunteers for the Texas AgriLife Extension Service. For more information about the Master Gardeners program or activities call (936) 435-2426 or visit www.walkercountymastergardeners.com.

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