Stop & Shop Produce and Floral Experts team up with Bergen County Zoo "Master Gardener Educators"

Morris Plains youngsters learns how to plant a vegetable garden and the importance of farm to table produce, in a program hosted by Stop & Shop at the Bergen County Zoo and taught by the zoo’s Master Gardeners: : Stop & Shop’s Jessica Contreras explains the importance of caring for and nurturing the earth and soil to Sarah Hwang of Morris Plains and other members of the Hope Scouts,who attended the program at the Bergen County Zoo. Sarah learned how to plant seeds, nurture growing plants, harvest produce and ultimately understand the health benefits of being able to eat what we grow. Among the vegetables that the students planted were: broccoli, basil, snap peas, pumpkins, soy beans, lettuce, tomatoes, radishes, cucumbers, carrots, eggplant and zucchini.

“Gardening provides lessons about science, nature, nutrition, and even cooking and preserving food”, says Arlene Putterman, Stop & Shop’s Manager of Public & Community Relations for Stop & Shop’s New York Metro Division. “In addition, children gain a wonderful feeling of accomplishment and self-worth when they harvest food they helped grow.”

Putterman also points out that, “Gardening teaches children to realize you can’t rush things, a seed takes a certain amount of time to sprout, no matter what you do. A plant or tree takes a certain amount of time to grow, flower or bear fruit, no matter what you do. No amount of chemicals or technology can make it grow faster.”