Savannah community garden teaches kids where food comes from

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - A community garden in Tatemville Community Park is working to teach children how their food is grown, while also reaching adults through social media.

Esther Green created the Tatemville Community Garden after being inspired through her work at the park.

“I didn’t like okra growing up,” Green said. “But growing it myself, I was able to appreciate it.”

From cucumbers and jalapeños to lettuce and okra, the garden is plentiful, but it’s also still young.

Now in its second year, the garden has expanded its focus beyond growing food to helping people outside the garden as well.

Free kids camp teaches food origins

The garden offers a free kids camp to teach children where food comes from.

“Some children don’t even know where real food comes from, so it’s imperative that they understand that ‘oh this is okra growing, oh these are cucumbers,’” Green said.

Ninoska Smith, Tatemville community garden director, said some children were initially afraid to eat vegetables that didn’t come from plastic packaging or a store.

“It didn’t come from plastic or the store, they don’t know that food comes from a plant,” Smith said.

Garden expands reach through social media

The garden’s Instagram page has more than 800 followers and focuses on education and wellness. Green and Smith said this outreach has become more important amid a recent increase in food recalls and outbreaks.

“This is the hub to inspire you and encourage you to do it at home,” Smith said.

Volunteer becomes part of the education effort

Freddy Ellison Jr., known as a “Garden Angel” volunteer, had no gardening experience before joining.

“How old the garden is is how old I am at gardening,” Ellison said.

Ellison now shares what he learns with his TikTok audience and his own children.

“Even after the camp, they’re excited in the morning before we go to school like ‘hey we got to check on the flower, we gotta water and make sure it’s good’ and I’m like wow y’all are just as passionate about it as me,” Ellison said.

The kids camp is free, but maintaining and expanding the garden is not. Organizers are looking into fundraisers and other ways to continue and expand the garden’s programs.