For the second year in a row, the J. Arthur Trudeau Center’s Children’s Recreation program will host the summer Green Thumbs Garden Club to help children learn the basics of gardening and agriculture.

Last summer, a garden was created and cultivated by students, staff and volunteers within the recreation program at Trudeau Center. The garden is located behind the Larkin Recreation Building.

For the second season, children involved with the Green Thumbs Garden Club will have the opportunity to learn about gardening and agriculture by planting, watering and harvesting their own garden at the Recreation Building. They will learn valuable skills such as water conservation, food composting, animal life in the garden, and how to grow their own healthy food.

This year’s program begins on May 22 with a field trip to New Urban Farmers Galego Court in Pawtucket to see their unique agriculture facility featuring unique technology such as aquaponics, geodesic domers and more, located in the center of Pawtucket.

Then, on June 2, a group of kids will visit Yard Works in Warwick for the second “Pick A Plant” field trip and planting party. At Yard Works the students will be able to pick out some plants and vegetables and then return to the Trudeau Center to plant their picks in the garden. For the second year in a row, Yard Works is donating all of the plants selected by the club and hosting a guided tour of the greenhouse and grounds on Warwick Ave.

The Green Thumbs Garden Club will meet again on July 14 and August 18 for more activities; however, coordinators are still looking for volunteer experts willing to spend time with the students to discuss gardening. Jennie Finn, respite coordinator for Trudeau Center, explained the presenters should be able to give applicable, hands-on classes for the children. Possible topics include worm composting and rain conservation.

Finally, the season will conclude on Sept. 22 with a special cooking lesson called “Eating Your Garden.”

All activities run from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., weather-dependent, and are free.

In between events, students, Center employees and volunteers will be working to care for the garden. To make that possible, the Trudeau Center is collecting donations of garden-related tools and items such as potting soil, untreated grass clippings, untreated finished compost, garden gloves, a 100-foot rubber hose and pitch forks.

“Our garden is completely organic and services the children of Crayons Education Center and the Trudeau Center,” explained Finn in an email.

Children who benefit from the garden range in age from 3 to 21 years old.

To find out more about donations or volunteering, contact Jennie Finn at 739-2700 x226. The Green Thumb Garden Club is open to children outside the Trudeau Center; parents can register their children by contacting Adam Johnson, Children’s Recreation coordinator, at 739-2700 x284.