Thirty-two busloads of elementary students from Title 1 schools throughout San Diego County eagerly hopped off buses during the week of May 12-16, 2025 to enjoy an enriching, exciting, and totally fun Plant*Grow*Eat morning at the Del Mar Fairgrounds’ Infield Farm.
In addition to a bounty of vegetables, fruits, flowers and interactive learning activities, there to meet them were cavorting goats, buzzing bees, beneficial garden creatures such as pill bugs and worms, and Howie the miniature Scottish Highland Cross steer who loves attention and animal crackers. At the end of their growing adventure, each student received radish seeds in a soil-filled container to plant, grow, eat at home, as well as a free ticket to the San Diego County Fair, which runs June 11-July 6, 2025.
Needless to say, the thousands of K-3 visitors were enthralled! “This is a bee-sy place,” quipped a precocious second-grader, as his class was ushered into a station abuzz with life where Master Beekeeper Andrea Supergan introduced Plant*Grow*Eaters to the amazing pollinators that sweeten our gardens, food and world. As he left the station to pursue additional adventures, the student turned and waved, “Bye, bees!”
On site to welcome the children on May 15th were members of Del Mar-based organizations that joined Don Diego to sponsor the buses. A monumental $10,000 of the total $12,500 was donated by perennial sponsor Del Mar Foundation (DMF). The Del Mar Garden Club continued its annual largesse, as did the Master Gardener Association of San Diego County, whose dedicated members also serve as volunteer instructors engaging the students in the wonders of nature. Longtime volunteer Jay Davis observed, “The children’s eyes light up with excitement when they get a microscopic view of bugs and worms. We’re giving them science they can relate to.”
Needless to say, the thousands of K-3 visitors were enthralled! “This is a bee-sy place,” quipped a precocious second-grader, as his class was ushered into a station abuzz with life where Master Beekeeper Andrea Supergan introduced Plant*Grow*Eaters to the amazing pollinators that sweeten our gardens, food and world. As he left the station to pursue additional adventures, the student turned and waved, “Bye, bees!”
On site to welcome the children on May 15th were members of Del Mar-based organizations that joined Don Diego to sponsor the buses. A monumental $10,000 of the total $12,500 was donated by perennial sponsor Del Mar Foundation (DMF). The Del Mar Garden Club continued its annual largesse, as did the Master Gardener Association of San Diego County, whose dedicated members also serve as volunteer instructors engaging the students in the wonders of nature. Longtime volunteer Jay Davis observed, “The children’s eyes light up with excitement when they get a microscopic view of bugs and worms. We’re giving them science they can relate to.”
DMF Grant Committee Chair Glenn Warren and his wife, Randee, from the Del Mar Garden Club made their first visit to Plant*Grow*Eat and said it was memorable. “This is such a worthwhile project and we’re happy to support it,” they stated.