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4-H day campers from around the Trenton area enjoyed hands-on experiences in the gardens at Trent House and the newly installed Educational Gardens at the Rutgers Cooperative Extension building on Parkside Avenue in Ewing.
Rutgers Master Gardeners of Mercer County, who help maintain Trent House Gardens under the direction of Charlie Thomforde, a Historical Horticulturist, shared their knowledge and enthusiasm with young people.
Campers learned about plant naming and families, harvesting seeds and food, planting depths, and making tea using garden herbs! Sam Stephens, a long-time Trustee of Trent House, helped young people understand the history of indigenous and enslaved people in the time of William Trent.
In the educational gardens in Ewing, County Horticulturist Justine Gray used a fun game to explain the steps of Farm to Plate to campers. The final step in composting/waste management was practiced as campers loaded food scraps from daily cooking activities into compost tumblers. Campers monitored the heat and moisture of the compost bins, recorded temperatures, and ensured the bins were turned for aeration. The youth also enjoyed watching butterflies and other insects in the educational gardens, cutting herbs like basil and thyme, and seasoning foods like pasta sauce and pizza.
