The Zimbabwean Gardener Issue 19 Summer 2016/17 | Page 10

farms for kids
A mini farmyard
Create a mini farmyard with your kids to grow veggies.
We have had great fun putting together a
mini farm that was inspired by the many
fairy garden workshops we have done
around town. For the numerous mothers
who struggle to get their boys to eat their
greens, we thought this mini farm might
encourage boys to grow their greens as
well as eat them, with ‘might’ being the
operative word. If not, at least they could
have some fun and get their hands dirty!
This was one of the least expensive and
enjoyable gardening projects we have
done. We didn’t need too much to get
started; it just took a bit of imagination,
a couple of easy-to-find plants and my
nephew’s farm animals.
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We divided the farm into three areas
with our homemade fence: a field for the
cows, an area for the veggie seedlings
and a muck area for the pigs. Here are a
few tips to get you going.
A container
We put our box together with old pallets,
but you can use any base for your mini
farm – you could even give your child a
patch in your garden to create their own
mini farm.
Potting soil
If you do use a container, make sure it
has good drainage. Fill it up with a good
mix of potting soil mix and soil. If they