What happens when children are given the opportunity to grow their own food?
At the Center for Healthy Living in Tyler, Texas, the answer became much more than a garden. Through Learn, Grow, Eat & Go, 20 children spent 10 weeks learning about gardening, healthy food, physical activity, and where their food comes from.
The Center for Healthy Living (The Center) is a free community health and wellness resource of the Northeast Texas Public Health District. The organization's goal is to meet people where they are and give them practical tools and resources to live healthier lives.
Learn, Grow, Eat, & Go (LGEG) is an evidence-based curriculum project of the Junior Master Gardener Program that combines weekly lessons, hands-on gardening, nutrient-dense food experiences, and physical activity. The Center partnered with the Smith County AgriLife Extension office and Smith County Master Gardeners to offer this free 10-week summer program to East Texas students for the first time from June to August 2026.
The goal was to help children develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of where their food comes from and to experience the satisfaction of growing something themselves.
Most importantly, the program gave these children a hands-on, screen-free opportunity to get outdoors, get their hands in the soil, and discover that healthy living can be enjoyable.
What’s Growing?
Joy Johnson, the Assistant Director of Community Wellness, had already been growing in GreenStalks and was impressed by how much food she could grow in a small footprint. Because they rent their office building, she knew the community garden needed to be portable and durable, while also giving them the flexibility to customize the height for different participants. The efficient watering system was another important consideration, especially for a garden that would be maintained by children.
When The Center received a small amount of funding to establish a community garden, GreenStalk immediately came to Joy’s mind.
“I was thrilled to discover their Community Garden Bundle because it included so much of what we needed to get started. Having high-quality soil included in the bundle was an added benefit and made the setup process much easier and more efficient. It really gave us a practical way to create a productive garden in a space where a traditional in-ground garden wasn't an option.”
When it came to what they should grow in their new community garden, they decided to grow a bit of everything: tomatoes, peppers, dwarf okra, herbs, green beans, cucumbers, pumpkins, honeynut squash, and flowers to attract and support pollinators.
But the unexpected star of the garden this summer was dwarf corn.
Because the program ran for 10 weeks, the children were able to watch the entire process—from planting and caring for the corn to harvesting it.
“Seeing their excitement when they pulled those little ears of corn from plants they had helped grow was such a special moment for the kids and the adults alike. It really brought the whole experience full circle. The master gardeners were particularly impressed with the capability of growing corn in vertical containers.”
Giving Children a Role in the Garden
Initially, the children had mixed levels of enthusiasm about gardening. That quickly began to change once they were divided into teams with specific roles and “missions,” including Pollinator Spotters, Water Managers, Garden Guardians for pest control, Garden Detectives, and Garden Scientists. Giving them their own responsibilities transformed gardening into something they could take ownership of rather than simply an activity they were asked to participate in.
Each team worked alongside a Smith County Master Gardener who provided hands-on education as they completed their tasks—whether that meant learning how to determine if a plant needed water, identifying beneficial insects, looking for signs of pests, or observing changes in the garden.
At the end of their garden time, all of the teams would huddle with Joy, the Garden Manager, and report what they had observed. Together, they would assess the overall health of the garden and decide what was needed the following week.
“The children really enjoyed having a purpose in the garden and knowing that their individual roles contributed to its success. Over time, it became their garden, and I think that sense of ownership was one of the most rewarding parts of the program.”
Growing More Than Food
Throughout the program, the children became increasingly open to trying new fruits and vegetables during the weekly tastings.
One of Joy’s favorite examples was a child who announced on the very first day that he didn’t like any fruits or vegetables. By the end of the program, that same child was asking for seconds after trying cherries and kale chips for the first time.
“Moments like that showed us how powerful positive, hands-on experiences with food can be.”
The program also helped The Center identify a more serious need.
Approximately 25% of the participating children were experiencing food insecurity.
Once they recognized this, Joy and her team were able to connect families with free community resources and reach out to local partners for additional support. A few local restaurants and community members stepped in generously, including one that provided a free “make your own sushi” experience. Other businesses and individuals donated snacks that the children could enjoy during the program and take home with them.
“What began as a gardening and healthy-living program ultimately gave us an opportunity to learn more about the needs of the children and their families and respond in a meaningful way.”
"Gardening is one big, ongoing experiment, and that is such an important lesson for children."
Why GreenStalk Was a Good Fit
“The versatility of GreenStalks has been one of the things that has impressed us most. We’ve been able to grow such a wide variety of vegetables, herbs, and flowers while making incredibly efficient use of our available space. They were also surprisingly easy to set up—we assembled more than 20 GreenStalks within just a few hours, while intentionally saving a few for the children to fill during their first class. The Carrot Cap, in particular, was a huge hit!”
Another unexpected benefit of the program was the interest the garden generated throughout the community. Visitors to The Center, parents, employees, local leaders, and community stakeholders stopped to ask about the GreenStalks. Many had never seen one before and left excited about the possibility of using them in their own gardens.
Looking Ahead
The garden isn't finished growing.
The Center is planning another six-week afterschool class where children can grow and harvest cool-season crops. Center staff will also continue maintaining the garden and harvesting food that can be shared with the community.
They are also planning to add strawberries in four 3-Tier GreenStalks and experiment with more dwarf and compact crop varieties that are well suited for vertical growing.
Planting Seeds for the Future
For Joy, gardening has had a profound impact on her own life. Being able to introduce children to something that has meant so much to her personally, while also combining her passions for health education and working with children, has made the experience especially rewarding.
There is something special about watching a child plant a tiny seed, care for it week after week, and experience the excitement of harvesting something they helped grow.
They're not just learning where food comes from. They're developing curiosity, responsibility, confidence, and a different relationship with healthy food.
That may be what Learn, Grow, Eat & Go is really about. Healthy living isn't just something to teach. Sometimes, it's something you have to let children experience for themselves.
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