Even if you don’t have a large yard, you can use a small raised bed or even containers on a balcony to give your kids a hands-on experience growing vegetables, cooking and eating them, and learning about their history and importance. The South Carolina Botanical Garden has series with these fascinating topics – The Great Pea Race which Thomas Jefferson and his friends started, Wartime Secrets of Carrots – how important they were in Britain in World War II -- how corn, beans and squash, the three sisters, enriched the diet of native Americans, and ending with how pizza ingredients take you on a world-wide adventure. Seeds and supplemental materials make this both a hand’s on and virtual experience for young people including a Facebook page to share photos, recipes, and experiences. Search the South Carolina Botanical Garden for more information.