by Claudia Zinck
The Parish of Blandford has taught children how to grow their food since 2012. It all started as an activity at a church youth night. Bags of potting soil and a handful of seed packets were planted in reused or re-purposed containers.
The Hubbards Area Lions Club had received kits for their Bunny Day before the pandemic. Wanting to be more inclusive, they saw a potential for their Backpack Buddy program associated with Shatford Memorial Elementary School. Working together, the kids around Blandford and every student at the school received a planting kit.
Last year’s kit involved growing lettuce. Stories came back of the children making salads or adding lettuce to their sandwiches during the summer. It amazed them that the lettuce regrew after being cut. This year they are learning to grow beans, even how to transplant them to a bigger container like a milk jug.
On April 12th members from both groups met at the Lion’s Hall in Fox Point. An assembly line was set up. Bob filled the bags of soil and stuffed them in a planting pot while Harvey was de-stacking the pots from cases. Robert put the stuffed planter pot in a bag, adding the seeds, marker and planting guide that Carolyn had laid out in piles. Deanna and Hanni closed the bags. A tag reading “A Project of the Parish of Blandford and the Hubbards Area Lions Club was added. Others filled in whenever a spot needed extra help.

Names left to right, Carolyn Morrison, Bob Harris, Lisa Lane, Harvey Dominey, Hani Taylor, Robert MacMillan, Claudia Zinck and Deanna Burns
Just over two hours later 250 planting kits were ready to be packed for their destinations
Shatford School has 125 students this year, each one receiving a kit.
Blandford Marine was the first pick-up point on Friday, April 19th. That evening the Blandford Seasider Seniors Group received their kits. The following morning at the Blandford Community Centre breakfast, kits are again waiting for the public. Every kit disappeared before noon. In total, 250 kits go to families on the Aspotogan Peninsula. As the biggest planting kit project in the Anglican Diocese of Nova Scotia and PEI, we invite anyone to do the same. What better way to help our planet than to be able to grow at least some of our food?