Kids take part in community garden planting

COLUMBUS, Ohio ( WCMH ) – Dozens of children got their hands dirty Wednesday as the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Ohio took part in a youth planting day at the Highland Youth Garden in the Hilltop, an event sponsored by Kroger.

The kids planted potatoes and received a treat of fresh strawberries for their hard work.

The garden’s neighbors live in what’s described as a food desert, where fresh produce isn’t readily available.

The goal of the garden is to eliminate hunger in the Hilltop and to give young people an experience they don’t usually receive.

The Highland Youth Garden is also hosting its weekly garden market, which is open to people in the community to pick up free, freshly picked produce.

The garden grows about 4,000 pounds of food each year on its half-acre plot.

NBC4 knows a thing or two about community gardens. The Mid-Ohio Farm at NBC4, right behind our studios, is entering its first season of full-time production, providing fresh produce for hundreds of our neighbors.

The garden recently added greenhouses to grow tomatoes and cucumbers and is expected to harvest 480 heads of lettuce each week.

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