{KXLG – Watertown, SD} Every Tuesday morning, the garden at the Boys & Girls Club of Watertown comes alive with eager young gardeners, dedicated volunteers, and members of the Coteau Prairie Master Gardeners, all working together to cultivate much more than vegetables.
The weekly Garden Club, held every Tuesday at 10:45 a.m., has become a hands-on learning experience where children discover how food is grown, learn about nature, and build meaningful relationships with adult mentors.
The program is made possible through a partnership between the Boys & Girls Club of Watertown and the Coteau Prairie Master Gardeners. Volunteers spend time teaching youth how to plant, care for, and harvest a variety of fruits, vegetables, and flowers while also sharing lessons about pollination, the important role bees play in the environment, and the value of caring for nature. Flowers planted throughout the garden beds help encourage cross-pollination while providing another teaching opportunity for the children.
Much of the produce harvested from the gardens doesn’t travel far. It is picked by the children and delivered directly to the Boys & Girls Club kitchen, where it is incorporated into healthy meals served to club members. In June alone, the Boys & Girls Club served nearly 13,000 healthy breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and meals to local youth.
The gardening program also supports the community through a free produce stand located in front of the Boys & Girls Club. Extra vegetables grown in the gardens are placed in the stand for anyone to take, and community members are encouraged to donate excess produce from their own gardens to help neighbors in need.
Dr. Clark Likness who is a volunteer says the program is about much more than gardening.
“We teach more than just gardening,” Likness said. “It’s about mentoring, building friendships and fellowship, and teaching basic life skills that will benefit these kids for years to come.”
The garden itself has grown alongside the program. The original raised garden beds were built by David Schmidt during the early stages of the project. As participation expanded, students from the Lake Area Technical College Building Trades program constructed additional raised beds to accommodate the growing number of young gardeners.
One of the volunteers helping guide the children each week is Don Guthmiller, who is currently completing volunteer hours as an intern with the Coteau Prairie Master Gardeners on his journey toward becoming a certified Master Gardener.
The Garden Club also extends learning beyond the garden beds. Throughout the summer, club members participate in educational trips to local farms, including visits to bee farms, where they gain a deeper understanding of agriculture and the importance of pollinators.
The Boys & Girls Club of Watertown has also experienced significant growth this summer, serving approximately 350 children—an increase of about 50 youth compared to last year.
Club membership remains affordable, with an annual membership costing $125 and a school-year membership available for $50. Families can enroll their children at any time throughout the year. You can find more details online at www.bgcofwatertown.com.
Beyond providing meals and educational opportunities, the Boys & Girls Club remains committed to keeping young people safe, active, healthy, and emotionally supported while giving them opportunities to learn skills that will last a lifetime.
What begins with a handful of seeds has grown into something much bigger. Together, the Boys & Girls Club of Watertown and the Coteau Prairie Master Gardeners are nurturing healthy meals, teaching valuable life lessons, inspiring a love for nature, and growing a stronger, more connected community—one child and one garden at a time.
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