Small Seeds, Big Dreams

In 2019, Marsha Thorpe noticed a trellis that had been moved off the Kidzone preschool playground. Rather than let it sit unused, she saw an opportunity. “We asked if we could plant tomatoes along the trellis in a plot on the church grounds,” Marsha recalls. That single act of curiosity sparked something remarkable.

The Kidzone Acres garden began with two little cherry tomato plants planted along he trellis. What began as one small tomato trellis has transformed into an impressive educational garden. “The kids were totally into it, planting, watering, watching them grow, and eventually picking and eating the tomatoes right off the vine,” recalls director Marsha Thorpe. “It was simple, but so satisfying.”

The next year, two 8×12 raised beds were added. Then came five more, and soon after, an orchard in partnership with The Giving Grove. A few years ago, another five beds were built to keep pace with the garden’s growth. Marsha is excited for the first orchard harvest this spring. Each expansion of the Kidzone Acres garden happened naturally, driven by community need. 

 

Where Storybooks Meet Sweet Potatoes

Walk through Kidzone Acres today and you’ll find each raised bed tied to a beloved children’s storybook, decorated with hand-painted bricks featuring favorites like Corduroy and The Very Hungry Caterpillar. The four preschool and pre-K classrooms each maintain their own beds, giving children hands-on responsibility for their plants. They get so excited about growing and eating their own food.”

“Kids love rainbow carrots, popcorn, and digging in the dirt for potatoes,” Marsha says. “Last year, we even had a corn-shucking station in the classroom. By the end, the kids had filled a five-liter jar with popcorn all grown and processed by them.”

Sweet potatoes remain a favorite crop. Each fall, entire classes gather to dig them from the soil. “My favorite memory has to be that first sweet potato harvest,” Marsha shares. “The kids had so many laughs and smiles. My whole vision of community, growing food, and having fun came together right then.”

Feeding Community, Building Connections

The produce grown finds its way to tables throughout the community. Daily produce is used directly in meals prepared by Chef Weitang for Kidzone’s three centers: Wyandotte, Overland Park, and Olathe. Extra vegetables are shared with students’ families as well as immigrant families through the church’s immigration office, ensuring nothing goes to waste.

The garden also makes its way into community events. Sweet potatoes become the centerpiece of the annual Thanksgiving dinner, while homegrown popcorn is shared at Wyandotte’s fall festival. “It’s such a special way to connect the garden to our shared table,” Marsha reflects.

Parents play an important role too, joining harvest days or lending expertise in seed planting and transplanting. Church members and high school students pitch in with weeding and soil prep, building an intergenerational community of gardeners.

Marsha has goals of making the garden bigger, envisioning a fresh produce drive-through where community members can access the garden’s abundance. It’s a dream rooted in the belief that everyone deserves access to fresh, locally-grown food.

 

Growing Together with KCCG

Kidzone Acres’ connection to Kansas City Community Gardens began with a parent’s recommendation and a quick Google search. From that moment, KCCG became a vital partner.

“I believe KCCG has been instrumental in our success,” says Marsha. “They’ve answered every question I’ve had, provided soil testing, and their Vegetable Spotlights are fantastic. ” KCCG provided lesson plans, seeds, and guidance to help the garden grow. Each new crop became a chance for children to learn, with resources like Veggie Spotlights bringing science, nutrition, and hands-on fun into the classroom. The lessons align perfectly with Kansas standards.

 The garden thrives through community partnership. High school students from Spring Hill visit each spring to help with weeding and soil preparation. Church members lend their support, and a parent assists with seed planting and transplantation. Summer school students join the effort during warmer months, creating an intergenerational network of gardeners.

YouTube resources have been especially helpful, offering Marsha practical, on-demand training. She hopes to see even more videos in the future to support garden leaders like herself.

Growing Together with KCCG

Kidzone Acres’ connection to Kansas City Community Gardens began with a parent’s recommendation and a quick Google search. From that moment, KCCG became a vital partner.

“I believe KCCG has been instrumental in our success,” says Marsha. “They’ve answered every question I’ve had, provided soil testing, and their Vegetable Spotlights are fantastic. ” KCCG provided lesson plans, seeds, and guidance to help the garden grow. Each new crop became a chance for children to learn, with resources like Veggie Spotlights bringing science, nutrition, and hands-on fun into the classroom. The lessons align perfectly with Kansas standards.

 The garden thrives through community partnership. High school students from Spring Hill visit each spring to help with weeding and soil preparation. Church members lend their support, and a parent assists with seed planting and transplantation. Summer school students join the effort during warmer months, creating an intergenerational network of gardeners.

YouTube resources have been especially helpful, offering Marsha practical, on-demand training. She hopes to see even more videos in the future to support garden leaders like herself.

 

Lessons in Patience and Growth

With ten beds and young gardeners aged three to five, challenges are inevitable, especially with weeding. But with church volunteers, local high schoolers, and parent helpers, the work is shared. ““Be patient; it may seem overwhelming, and it can be overwhelming, but it is possible. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. A garden is a communal responsibility.”

 Her advice to new partner gardens? “Don’t give up! Sometimes it feels overwhelming, but it’s absolutely worth it. Kids aren’t just having fun, they’re learning one of the most valuable life skills: how to grow their own food.”

Looking Forward

Kidzone Acres is preparing for its first orchard harvest and exploring new systems like rain barrels to teach water conservation. Marsha dreams of expanding with 10 more beds, enough to feed all three schools and provide fresh produce to the wider community.

For Marsha, gardening is also deeply personal. She grew up watching her father garden, later joining her husband in tending a large family garden. “My dad passed away 25 years ago, and my husband can’t garden anymore. But those memories are some of my favorites. That’s what I want for the kids to have their own memories of growing food and sharing it with people they love.” The Kidzone Acres story is proof that the smallest seeds, two little tomato plants, can indeed grow into something extraordinary

How to Get Involved

Community members interested in volunteering or supporting the garden can reach out directly to Marsha through the daycare, church, or their Facebook Messenger volunteer page.

Background & Story

1. Can you tell us a little about your garden’s story and how it got started? 

It all started back in 2019 with two little cherry tomato plants. The kids were totally into it — planting, watering, watching them grow, and eventually picking and eating the tomatoes right off the vine. It was simple, but so satisfying.

The next year, we decided to go a bit bigger and added two 8×12 raised beds. That’s when things really took off. Before we knew it, we had five beds… then an orchard. A few years ago, we added five more raised beds to keep up with everything we wanted to grow.

What began as a fun little project turned into something much more a space for our family to connect, learn, and enjoy the process (and the produce!). It’s been growing right along with us.

 

2. What inspired your organization to partner with Kansas City Community Gardens?

We’d been gardening for a couple of years when a fellow parent mentioned KCCG to me. A quick Google search later, I reached out to learn more about what they offered — and I’m so glad I did.

 

3. How has your garden grown or changed since it began? Community & Impact

It’s definitely grown over the years! Each season, I’ve learned more about what the kids enjoy growing, how we can improve the process, and even what doesn’t quite work for them. I have a feeling I’ll be learning for many years to come.

One of the most rewarding parts has been the involvement of parents. Every year, different families step in to help in their own unique ways. One parent, an avid gardener, joined us for two years while their child was in the preschool and pre-K classes. They helped the kids plant seeds, which the children then got to care for, transplant into the garden, and eventually harvest, for a true full-circle experience.

Other years, parents have joined us for our sweet potato harvest, one of my personal favorites. Most of the classes come out to help dig the potatoes from the dirt, and it turns into a fun, hands-on day of community. Those sweet potatoes are then used in our school lunches and featured in our big community Thanksgiving dinner. It’s such a special way to connect the garden to our shared table.

 

4. Who participates in your garden, and how does it serve your community?

The garden is primarily cared for by our Pre-K classrooms. Each class is assigned a raised bed to manage over the summer, giving them hands-on experience with planting, caring for, and harvesting crops. This year, they planted popcorn, and they’ve done a great job tending to it. Harvest time is just around the corner!

We keep a jar of the homegrown popcorn in the Pre-K classroom for special occasions, but most of it is sent to one of our sister sites, KidZone Learning Center – Wyandotte, where it’s used during their fall festival.

Daily harvests from the garden go straight to our main kitchen, where Chef Weitang prepares fresh, healthy meals for all three of our centers  Wyandotte, Overland Park, and Olathe. Any extra produce is shared with families at our Olathe location, making sure nothing goes to waste and everyone benefits from the garden’s bounty.

 

5. What are some of the biggest benefits you’ve seen from having a garden here?

The garden gives kids a chance to get outside, get their hands dirty, and really connect with where their food comes from. It’s also created a great way for parents to get involved and engage with their children’s learning in a hands-on, meaningful way.

With three centers, there’s the added bonus of reducing food costs a practical benefit that supports all of our programs.

 

6. Do you have a favorite story or memory from your garden that stands out? Garden Life

Oh gosh, I think my favorite memory has to be the first year we harvested sweet potatoes. All the classes, including the younger kids, came outside to dig them up. The kids had so many laughs and smiles, it was such a fun, joyful moment. My whole vision of community, growing food, and having fun all came together right then. It was really special to see it all in action.

 

7. What are some of the most popular crops you grow?

Popcorn! Last year, we planted popcorn, and I was honestly surprised by how excited the kids were to shuck the kernels. We had corn cobs drying in the classrooms and even set up a little corn-shucking station. The kids loved it! By the end, we had filled a 5-liter jar with popcorn — all grown and processed by the kids themselves.

 

8. Have you tried anything new this year—plants, techniques, or events?

This year, we experimented with trellising the cucumber plants. It worked really well, and we’re planning to improve the stands and do it again next year.

 

9. What challenges do you face in maintaining the garden, and how do you overcome them? Partnership with KCCG

With 3- to 5-year-olds, keeping up with weeding across 10 garden beds can definitely be a challenge! Thankfully, we’ve had some wonderful support. Church members often volunteer their time, spending an hour or two on a Saturday to help with wedding. We’re also lucky to have a local high school group that comes each spring to help prepare the garden beds for the season. That extra help makes a big difference.

 

10. How has KCCG supported your garden’s success?

I believe KCCG has been instrumental in our success. I’ve had plenty of questions along the way, and they’ve always been open, helpful, and willing to answer every one of them. It’s been such a relief to have someone knowledgeable to reach out to when I need support.

Their Vegetable Spotlights have also been a fantastic resource — they provide engaging garden lessons that align perfectly with Kansas standards, making it easy to tie hands-on learning into the classroom.

 

11. Are there specific resources, trainings, or tools from KCCG that have been especially helpful? Looking Ahead

The YouTube videos on their channel have been the most helpful resource for me. Being able to watch them on my own time makes all the difference. I’d love to see even more videos like these made available in the future.

 

12. What are your hopes or goals for the garden in the coming year?

My big dream is to expand the garden with additional beds, growing enough produce not only to support our schools but also to serve the larger community. I’d love to add 10 more beds and install rain barrels to help with watering. There are just so many exciting possibilities ahead!

13. How can community members get involved or support your garden?

I haven’t been great at promoting or asking for help, but if anyone is interested in volunteering or lending a hand, the best way to get involved is to reach out to me directly. I’d love to connect and make it happen!

 

14. If you could share one piece of advice with a new partner garden, what would it be? Personal Touch

Don’t give up! Sometimes it can feel overwhelming, but it’s absolutely worth it. Sure, it’s fun for the kids, but even more importantly, it’s teaching them one of the most valuable life skills: how to grow their own food.

 

15. What does gardening mean to you personally?

Growing up, my dad was the gardener in our family. He loved growing tomatoes and cucumbers. I didn’t always love helping in the garden, but I definitely loved the fresh vegetables. Later on, my husband took up gardening too, for years, we had a massive garden where he grew all kinds of things.

My dad passed away 25 years ago, and my husband hasn’t been able to garden for some time now. But the memories I have from gardening with them, even when I didn’t always want to, are some of my favorites.

That’s really what I want for the kids: to have those same kinds of memories to look back on one day… and maybe even pass on to others in their lives. Because really, what’s better than enjoying food you’ve grown and sharing it with the people you care about?

 

16. If your garden had a “theme song” or “motto,” what would it be?