DSAC Youth Gardening Classes 2024

Youth are invited once again to join us for summer gardening classes at the Dixon Springs Ag Center. Classes will be held on Thursdays from 9 to 11 a.m. and are open to all school age children. Children who have not yet completed Kindergarten are welcome, but a parent or other adult must accompany them. During each class, the youth participants will help harvest and weigh produce, pull weeds, and complete other tasks in the garden. All produce will be donated back to the community and placed in the food donation box near the pavilion. Each class will also have a specific lesson and/or craft presented by an Extension staff member or volunteer. A schedule of the lessons and presenters is listed below, but is subject to change.

June 6 - Gardening Basics
June 13 - Sun Safety
June 20 - Facts about Vegetables
June 27 - Succulents
July 11 - Flower Bouquets
July 18 - Monarchs
July 25 - Edible Flowers
August 1 - Composting

All classes are free, but registration is required. You may register your child for one or all of the classes. Due to limited space, please make sure your child is able to attend the classes they are registered for. When completing the registration below, list the youth participant under the contact information. You will indicate a parent or guardian further down on the page. If you have more than one child who would like to attend, you will need to fill out a separate registration for each child. If your child is unable to attend after registering, please contact the office at (618) 695-2441. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this event, please contact Jennifer Warren at jrwarren@illinois.edu. Early requests are strongly recommended. 

Please have each participating child wear closed toe shoes, such as tennis shoes, and bring a water bottle to every class. Youth should also wear sunscreen and use bug spray. Each class will meet at the Extension office, just north of the Administration Building at the Dixon Springs Ag Center. It is the brown building located across the highway from the high tunnel area. In the event of rain, we will meet at the pavilion near the Administration Building. Parents will need to sign in their child at the beginning of each class.