FORT BENNING, Ga., (Jan. 20 2016) -- Fort Benning's E.A. White Elementary School second-graders are learning the fundamentals of gardening and earning their green thumbs, thanks to Owen Ditchfield, an avid farmer and a retiree of the Department of Defense Education Activity.
Ditchfield began the gardening program over 30 years ago, said Crystal Banks second-grade teacher, who works with Ditchfield and the students on the garden every week.
Ditchfield was a fifth-grade teacher for nine years at Loyd Elementary School, and a media specialist for 21 years at E.A. White. He retired in 2009. Since retirement, he has continued to educate kids about gardening.
"With 37 years of doing gardening with students at Loyd and E.A. White Elementary Schools, I never tire of seeing the excitement of the kids when they see the first seeds coming up and when they pull their first carrot out of the soil," he said. "These kids even get excited about pulling weeds, and they often will try vegetables that are new to them since they grew them."
"I believe we're not only planting lettuce, cabbage and radishes, but a lifelong love of gardening for many of them," he added.
Dr. Renee Mallory, E.A. White Elementary School principal, said Ditchfield has a heart for children and he wanted a way to continue to connect with the school and the students.
"He literally teaches the children farm to table," Mallory said. "He demonstrates and then they actually get to participate - they work the soil, they plant the seeds and they weed - once a week, year-round."
Banks said it is great the students are able to get this experience.
"It's a real hands-on experience for them," Banks said. "We have a text book where we can read how the garden works, but it makes it a richer experience for them because they become the farmers. They take a lot of pride in their garden."
Banks said the parents enjoy the gardening program too.
"The parents are very helpful," Banks said. "They are there for weeding, to help man a certain vegetable ... they love it."
The gardening program is so exciting to the students, that the lower grades can't wait to get to second grade to be part of it, Banks said.
Mallory said Ditchfield deserves the recognition for this program.
"He's very, very loyal. He's a friend as well as being a colleague, and now he's giving back," Mallory said. "He believes there is always something to teach them ... he's a super guy."
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