The OSU Master Gardeners helped start a gardening program at the Tulsa Boys Home.
They say it's been a great experience for the boys to see the process from seed to harvest, and they never expected the program to be so successful in its second year.
“What I love most about this garden are the cucumbers and other plants we have here,” Michael Cox says.
Danielle Adkins of OSU Master Gardeners started the program last year and it has grown from a few raised flower beds to multiple gardens.
The boys can harvest what they grow and make anything they like out of it.
“Home-grown food tastes so much better than something that's canned or sitting on a shelf,” she said.
She goes there every day and says it's been a great experience teaching her sons about gardening and the lessons they can learn from it, such as perseverance.
“They don't just grow with the snap of your fingers. They have to be looked after, cared for and nurtured,” Danielle said.
Isaac Valencia works in his garden every day and said he's amazed at how much it has grown since last year, especially seeing so many vegetables growing, like peppers.
“Tabasco peppers are delicious because they're hot. They're small but they're strong. That's what we like to say. You know, the smaller the pepper, the hotter the pepper is,” he said.
He says he finds peace in his garden and plans to continue living in his own garden even after his sons leave home.
“I've already started growing at home, growing jalapeños, tomatoes, green tomatoes and Fresno peppers,” he said.
They are currently preparing the garden for fall and will be planting broccoli, cauliflower and lots of other things.
