Positive Sprouts Take Root In Troy

TROY (WWJ) - Summertime means gardening for many metro Detroiters. The Boys and Girls Club in Troy had about 50 youngsters out planting fruit and vegetable gardens on Saturday.

WWJ's Stephanie Davis reports that it's part of the 'Positive Sprouts' program.

The goal is to teach young people about gardening and nutrition. Leslie Taylor is with the Green Education Foundation, which is involved in the partnership between Amway and the club.

"A lot of the clubs that we've been planting gardens with ... across the nation are in a very urban setting so they don't have the opportunity to get outside and plant a garden, I think the thing that surprises me  most is that some kids think that tomatoes are red from the get-go, so when we are planting tomato bushes they see they're green and they are like, "No, those aren't tomatoes, so they don't know...they are not educated," said Taylor.

Also on hand to help was former Detroit Red Wing Kirk Maltby. A master gardener, Maltby will help the club maintain the garden.

"I think it's just a great positive message, along with learning nutrition and getting some healthy food into their diet," said Maltby.

Among the gardens being planted on the grounds of the Boy's & Girls Club in Troy is a pizza garden:

"We're not planting pepperoni, we're planting tomatoes and onions and peppers and basil and oregano, parsley, things that you would put on pizza," said Taylor.