Urban garden revitalized to provide food and science to kids at Silver Spring Neighborhood Center

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) — Kids spending their summer at the Silver Spring Neighborhood Center are spending a lot of time in the garden. 

“It’s really important that we invest in the kids in this neighborhood,” said Mayor Tom Barrett. 

Many local businesses were brought together to help by SHARP Literacy, a nonprofit that brings innovative STEAM-based experiences and programs to children. 

The Urban Greenhouse Revitalization Project was three phases that brought three garden beds, aquaponics and hydroponics to the neighborhood center. 

The children were eager to water the plants, feed the fish and pull up some carrots at the unveiling of the new urban garden on Thursday, August 12. 

“A lot of them are saying we’ve never tried a vegetable,” said Mika Carriere, the urban agriculture teacher. 

She said this is usually an area that lacks access to fresh foods and vegetables. 

For these kids, that all changed in May. 

They planted the seeds, cared for the plants and watched the food grow. 

“They really, really love it now,” said Carrier. “They’re able to spot out whatever there is in the garden, they’re saying ‘yeah, it’s ready to be picked, it’s ready to go, we want to make something with it.’”

The students ate salsa from tomatoes they grew and muffins from their own zucchini. 

Part of the project also included a solar dehydrator, so they could better understand the concept of of dehydrated foods too.