Food Education: Harvesting Our Vegetables
Preschool
September 15, 2019
Recently, we went to harvest the vegetables Mountain class (age 4) had planted in May.
Because the farm is some distance from school, we had followed the vegetables’ growth through photographs sent by the farmer supporting our harvest experience.
Three months after planting, the seedlings had grown considerably. The tomato plants were taller than the children and covered in red and green fruit.
Working in four groups, the children harvested the eggplants, peppers and tomatoes they had planted, with help from teachers and bus drivers. Some tomatoes were still green, and the children hesitated to pick them. After a bus driver told them that green tomatoes would turn red if kept in the refrigerator, they felt reassured and began harvesting those too.
Next came the okra. It had grown too large and was past the stage when it was good to eat, but the children were thrilled by okra much bigger than anything they normally saw: “I want to pick that one!”
Unfortunately, the corn was also past its harvest time, so we could not take it home. However, this helped the children learn why it could no longer be harvested and that crops have a best time for picking.
In the afternoon, Sky class (age 5) came to harvest.
Already familiar with digging sweet potatoes and daikon radishes, the Sky children found and picked vegetables themselves. They even discovered vegetables Mountain class had missed that morning—a lovely demonstration of their experience as the oldest class.
They also found an unusual insect and became absorbed in observing it, exclaiming, “It’s the Very Hungry Caterpillar!”
Before taking their vegetables home, Mountain class drew observational pictures, while Sky class compared lengths and weights.
The following day, parents shared comments through our communication app: “My child proudly showed me the vegetables and talked so happily about them,” “They were fresh and delicious,” and “My child ate vegetables they usually avoid—perhaps because they had picked them.” These messages reminded us what a valuable experience the harvest had been.
Because the farm is some distance from school, we had followed the vegetables’ growth through photographs sent by the farmer supporting our harvest experience.
Three months after planting, the seedlings had grown considerably. The tomato plants were taller than the children and covered in red and green fruit.
Working in four groups, the children harvested the eggplants, peppers and tomatoes they had planted, with help from teachers and bus drivers. Some tomatoes were still green, and the children hesitated to pick them. After a bus driver told them that green tomatoes would turn red if kept in the refrigerator, they felt reassured and began harvesting those too.
Next came the okra. It had grown too large and was past the stage when it was good to eat, but the children were thrilled by okra much bigger than anything they normally saw: “I want to pick that one!”
Unfortunately, the corn was also past its harvest time, so we could not take it home. However, this helped the children learn why it could no longer be harvested and that crops have a best time for picking.
In the afternoon, Sky class (age 5) came to harvest.
Already familiar with digging sweet potatoes and daikon radishes, the Sky children found and picked vegetables themselves. They even discovered vegetables Mountain class had missed that morning—a lovely demonstration of their experience as the oldest class.
They also found an unusual insect and became absorbed in observing it, exclaiming, “It’s the Very Hungry Caterpillar!”
Before taking their vegetables home, Mountain class drew observational pictures, while Sky class compared lengths and weights.
The following day, parents shared comments through our communication app: “My child proudly showed me the vegetables and talked so happily about them,” “They were fresh and delicious,” and “My child ate vegetables they usually avoid—perhaps because they had picked them.” These messages reminded us what a valuable experience the harvest had been.
Author Profile
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Reiko - Services and Community Coordinator Japan
Reiko joined CGK’s founding team in 2016, bringing seven years of experience in licensed nursery schools in Japan and six years across two international preschools. She has also volunteered at a daycare in Canada and has held preschool leadership roles at CGK, including Principal and Vice Principal.
A qualified nursery teacher and holder of a Class 2 kindergarten teaching license in Japan, Reiko values each child’s interests and strengths. Drawing on her experience in multicultural early childhood settings, she supports an environment where children can explore new interests through hands-on experiences and express themselves in their own way.