Youth Gardens

The Youth Gardens are a series of educational demonstration gardens grown and maintained for the annual Youth Summer Garden Camp hosted by the Penn State Extension Master Gardeners in Cumberland County.

Upcoming Program

Saturday, November 16, 10am-12pm: Wildlife Tree Ornaments Workshop for Youth; Ages 5-14

Youth ages 5-14 are invited to join the Penn State Master Gardeners of Cumberland County for the Wildlife Tree Ornaments Workshop for Youth on Saturday, November 16, 2024, 10am-12pm noon. The workshop will be held indoors at the Penn State Extension office in Cumberland County located at 310 Allen Road, Carlisle, PA 17013. Please park and use the front building entrance accessible from Allen Road.

Create a variety of feeders and natural ornaments to take home to decorate outdoor trees while supporting local wildlife. Projects include a pumpkin feeder, cozy pinecone ornament, ice cream cone feeder, bug hotel, milkweed pod feeder, and stuffed log feeder. Visit the wildlife habitat observation station and learn about winter bird feeding. 

Come any time during the workshop hours and create one or all the projects offered. Supplies for all projects are included in the $10 registration fee per youth. No peanut or tree nut products will be used. A parent or guardian must attend the workshop with their child.

Preregister by November 14 online on the Penn State Extension website at https://extension.psu.edu/wildlife-tree-ornaments-workshop-for-youth or call Penn State Extension Registration Services at 1-877-345-0691. You may also register and pay at the door on November 16 if supplies are available.

Master Gardener Youth Programs

Youth Summer Garden Camp is a series of five camp sessions over the summer from June through August for youth ages 7 to 12. Youth tend garden areas, growing produce and flowers, with expert guidance from the Penn State Master Gardeners of Cumberland County. Campers learn about seeds, soil, composting, plants, pollination, and the environment in structured sessions that include time for working in the garden, science activities, projects, games, snacks, and exploration. Each session includes tasks in the garden, such as planting, weeding, watering, mulching, scouting for pests, and harvesting. Campers also record weather statistics, soil temperatures, and harvest data. Produce harvested from these gardens is distributed to youth and their families who participate in the camp and is also donated to Project SHARE to reduce food insecurity for Cumberland County residents.

Penn State Master Gardeners also host two Saturday workshops at the Extension Office for youth and their families. The Mother's Day Container Workshop is held on the first Saturday in May for youth to plant and take home a container of annuals and herbs with an ornament and card to gift on Mother's Day. The Wildlife Tree Ornament Workshop is held on a Saturday in November for youth to make and take home a series of outdoor wildlife feeders and ornaments from natural materials to provide food for birds and other wildlife during the winter.

Visiting the Gardens

The Youth Gardens are located at the Cumberland County Service Center at 310 Allen Road in Carlisle, which houses the Penn State Extension office in Cumberland County.

Parking for the gardens is available in the front parking lot accessible from Allen Road and the back parking lot accessible from Logistics Drive or the driveway connecting the front and back parking lots. Please do not park on the grass.

The garden is open daily to the public, free of charge, from dawn to dusk. Enjoy your visit and thank you for stopping by!