Kids Learn Gardening at Julia’s Garden

VICKSBURG, Miss. – Around 25 children attended the Mississippi Community Housing Development Kid’s Day Out at Julia’s Garden this morning. The event featured face painting, pinwheel painting, pool fishing, and lessons on food origins.

“They’re going to learn how to plant a seed, so they can take it home and watch it grow,” said MCHDO Project Coordinator Tangela Cuffy. “I read something recently that said make sure you take your kids to a garden so they don’t think that food comes from a box. That made me think we need to get children out, so they can see this is what food is like. It’s fresh. It’s from the earth.”

Julia’s Garden, located on East Street near its intersection with Cherry Street, honors Charlie Gholson’s daughter, Julia, who lost her battle with cancer. After her passing, the house Julia lived in sat vacant for a number of years. Gholson cleared the land and, when he heard about Angela Turner’s project to bring a community garden to Vicksburg, he donated the land where Julia’s house once stood for the effort.

The garden operates on a volunteer basis with help from local Master Gardeners. All produce grown at Julia’s Garden is donated to the public.