Vegetable crops are a major part of our diet. They taste good, can be prepared in many different ways, are a major source of vitamins, minerals and fiber in our diet and provide us with many beneficial medicinal compounds. The nutritive value of vegetables is highest while they are on the plant and decrease steadily after removal. Therefore, growing your own vegetables, harvesting them and using them soon after harvest provides the highest nutrient content. Furthermore, growing vegetables provides an excellent, diverse physical activity. And when we grow our own vegetables we can have the cultivars that we like best and can grow them knowing what chemicals, if any, have been applied and when they were treated.

The objectives of this lab are to study the vegetables being produced in the Holistic Garden.

• Develop a planting plan for the vegetable areas in the Holistic Garden.
• Produce transplants for the Holistic Garden.
• Plant, maintain and harvest the vegetable areas of the Holistic Garden.