As a kid, cleaning dirt off a carrot meant a couple of quick
swipes across my jeans. To be honest, I don't remember tasting
the dirt, but I vividly recall the joy of pulling the first
carrot of the season out of the garden and enjoying its crunchy
texture and sweet taste. I often had a black ring around my
mouth because I ate a lot of carrots straight from the garden.
So did most of the kids I knew. Sadly, vegetable gardening
declined to the point that many kids never experienced that
ring-around-the-mouth syndrome, nor tasted the sweetness of a
just-pulled carrot. But, thankfully, the current resurgence in
edible gardens means more kids will learn the joys of gardening.
So this year, even if you're not a gardener, consider a couple
of pots or a small veggie or fruit patch and change the way your
family looks at food. Here are my Top 10 reasons why your kids
should be sporting a black ring around their mouths this summer.
1. Kids who are actively engaged in food gardening are much more
likely to eat what they