teaching about edible and toxic plants

[Liz Kenton]

Hi garden educators,

A colleague shared an inquiry from one of her parent volunteers (see below my message) who is looking for resources, guidance, best practices etc. about toxic plants when teaching kids, ages ranging in this program from about 8 to 14.

I think the volunteer is right on with what to leave out and with the unbreakable ground rule of kids not eating anything before checking with a knowledgeable adult. However, I would recommend strongly against relying on a phone app of any kind for identification.

What else would you say? How do you handle this topic? Got any great resources or examples to share?

thanks in advance!

Liz Kenton

(she/her)

Youth Agriculture Project coordinator

UVM Extension 4-H

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

802-257-7967 x308

130 Austine Dr., Suite 300

Brattleboro, VT 05301

"How should I handle teaching kids about toxic plants? On one hand there’s plants like jimson weed which is not only toxic but hallucinogenic too. I’ll just skip that one, it doesn’t look like anything else and I only see it on manure piles. But there are times where mixing up two plants or even eating a berry at the wrong time can be deadly as in the case of nightshade. The ripe berries of one species are fine, I’ve eaten them…but the unripe berries will kill you as well as the berries of the other nightshade species.

I’m sure it goes without saying that I’ll keep it age appropriate. I won’t be dealing with that level of things with an 8 year old and I plan to encourage parents to come along with their phones out to fact check because I’m only human. I will also ask this same question to each parent in case they have their own concerns. With my own kids I don’t hold back and point out every plant I know making a game out of it. They love it and know not to put anything in their mouths without my confirmation."

[Linda S. Law-Saunders]

Contact the Master Gardeners of your local Cooperative Extension Office.

 

-L-

 

Linda S. Law
Family & Consumer Sciences and Ag & Food Systems Educator

Cornell Cooperative Extension | Washington County

415 Lower Main St. Hudson Falls, NY 12839| washington.cce.cornell.edu | Facebook | ls...@cornell.edu | 518-746-2560

 

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