One of the most difficult things a parent can ever try to tackle is to convince one's children to eat their vegetables at the dinner table.

 While we know that greens are good for us, there is often what seems to be some sort of natural resistance among kids to eating those plants so rich in the important vitamins and elementals that we need, whether vegetable, herb or otherwise.

 There is a certain philosophy though that in order for people, young and old, to really buy into something and consider it of value, that they have to have a hands-on part in helping to make it happen.

 The same logic may apply to children and greens.

 If you want to get your children more interested in eating their veggies or using herbs to garnish their food, then you should try to get them directly involved in their growth - and there are plenty of ways to do that.

 It can start in your very own backyard.

 If you've got a house with even a little bit of green space, now is the ideal time of year to do some research, talk to your kids and see what kind of simple greens they might like to try to grow with you.

 It need not be anything complicated or large. The project - which would be a great family initiative and a wonderful way to spend time together and outdoors - could be as simple as a small patch of green beans or peas.

 You and your children get to watch the produce grow and flourish, watering it as needed, and then when the time comes to harvest, you've got a great family activity that will, in the end, put greens on their plate.

 And you can be sure that they'll absolutely love eating them!

 Even if you don't have a house and land of your own, that doesn't mean there aren't options available to help engage your kids in growing their own garden produce.

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 Container gardening on a deck or even a kitchen windowsill is an excellent way for kids to be involved with growing their own food on a small scale. Whether the produce is a form of greens or a fruit, such as the cherry tomato, there are lots of options available out there that can be grown in a small environment without impacting the way you live.

 If indoors simply won't do the trick though, and you want to give you and your kids that outdoor gardening experience, you can approach your landlord about the possibility of using a small patch of property for gardening purposes.

 Many good landlords these days are happy to let their tenants make good use of a small part of their property.

 And, if you rent but can't get buy-in from the folks who own your property, then try connecting with churches, recreation groups or those interested in promoting environmental sustainability within your community.

 Chances are they have a suggestion or two up their sleeves as to how you and your children can get involved in food cultivation at the grassroots level and take a wonderful sampling of produce from seed straight to your dinner table later this growing season.

posted on 06/08/10