Mini 4-H Children’s Garden Comes to Ag Expo
7/10/08
Contact: Michelle Lavra
517-432-1555, ext. 151
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- The whimsical fun and get-your-hands-dirty learning experience of the Michigan 4-H Children’s Gardens will be part of this year’s Ag Expo (July 15-17) on the Michigan State University campus. A pint-sized version of the outdoor garden will be on display outside the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) tent to celebrate the 15th birthday of the garden, the first of its kind -- a garden specifically designed for kids -- in the United States.
The display will feature miniature versions of some of the garden’s 56 themed areas including the Rainbow Garden, the Animals Garden, a mini maze, the Internet Garden and the Pizza Garden (go to www.4hgarden.msu.edu/kidstour to take a virtual tour).
“With Michigan 4-H Youth Development celebrating 100 years and the 4-H Children’s Gardens celebrating 15, this was the perfect year to give Ag Expo visitors a glimpse of the gardens,” said Norm Lownds, curator of the children’s gardens. “Once they get that glimpse, I hope many will want to come visit the gardens and get the full experience.”
Ag Expo attendees will get just a taste of the full 4-H Children’s Gardens as part of their visit to Michigan’s largest agricultural equipment exposition. But show organizers are making it easy for visitors who want to see more of the garden do just that. Shuttle buses leaving from the show’s parking lot every hour include the 4-H Children’s Gardens as one of their stops. Visitors can hop a bus at Ag Expo, enjoy a visit to the 4-H Children’s Gardens and then hop a bus back to Ag Expo.
Ag Expo runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday. Admission to the grounds and parking at Farm Lane and Mt. Hope Road are free. Because of the construction on Farm Lane, the Ag Expo parking area and grounds will be accessible only from Mt. Hope Road.
For more information about Ag Expo, call 800-366-7055 or visit www.agexpo.msu.edu. For more information about the Michigan 4-H Children’s Gardens, call 517-355-5191, ext. 1-327 or go to www.4hgarden.msu.edu.
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