BOYS AND GIRLS CANNING CLUB IN MINNESOTA IN 1916. 383 



Boys and Girls Garden and Canning Clubs in Minnesota 



in 1916. 



T. A. ERICKSON, EXTENSION DIVISION, UNIVERSITY FARM. 



Three thousand boys and girls took part in a garden and 

 canning project of the Boys' and Girls' Clubs in Minnesota in 

 1916. By the rules of the contest, each club member competing 

 must grow a garden not less than one square rod in size, while 

 one-tenth of an acre is urged. Each member must also learn to 

 take care of waste and surplus products by learning to can them 

 by using the cold pack method of canning. Each boy and girl 

 taking up the work keeps a note book in which is recorded the 

 daily garden operations. Cost of supplies, seeds and work is care- 

 fully recorded. At the close of the season's work each member 

 sends in a report of his or her work, as well as a story on "How I 

 Grew My Garden, and How I Learned to Can." 



It has been found that the most effective way of doing the 

 work is by organizing the contestants into groups, called clubs, 

 with a regular set of officers, meetings and plan of work. A large 

 number of these garden and canning clubs have been organized 

 this year. Play is mixed with work. The "Club Day" is some- 

 times made up of field meetings in the gardens, lunch together, a 

 program with games and sports. 



The canning work is made a special feature because we need 

 to teach our boys and girls : 



(1) How to save products going to waste. 



(2) More canned fruits, greens, and vegetables will save 

 many a doctor bill, and it is 



(3) One of the best ways of teaching thrift and economy. 

 Winners. — The winner of first place in the South Central 



Section is Mary Ramey, of Maple Lake, who is also a member of 

 the prize winning club. Mary has grown a fine garden and has 

 canned 197 quarts of vegetables in both glass and tin. Edna 

 Burch, of Kanabec County, who wins first place in the North 

 Central Section, comes from a club of thirty-five gardeners, at 

 Mora. Each has grown a garden 50x150 feet. Edna has a record 

 of 100 quarts canned. 



Phoebe Darling represents the Northern Section of the state 

 as winner with a record of a prize winning garden and nearly 100 

 quarts canned. 



The Maple Lake Club, which stands highest of any club in 



