I had a teacher in Pennsylvania sign up for my Green Thumb Course the other day. He's teaching gardening to an ecology class but he is neither an ecologist nor a gardener, which is why he signed up for my course. 

I am beyond excited to guide him as he teaches this supremely important subject and skill to his class. 

It is truly one of the most important skills kids can learn for the health of their future and the planet. 

Here's 13 reasons why. 

1. Children learn that they are a part of nature, not separate from it. What happens to nature happens to themselves. Everything is connected and there are no "bad" guys in nature. 

2. Children learn to nurture nature and build soil, and are able to grow food anywhere from scratch.

3. Children are connected to the cycles of the seasons, birth, growth, death, and rebirth are all equally valuable and important. 

4. Children are empowered by providing food for their class or family. 

5. Children are grounded by their connection to the earth, providing stability in an unstable world.

6. Children absorb beneficial microbes from the soil through their contact with the soil and through eating the raw vegetables, healing their guts and helping them be healthier. 

7. Children are more likely to eat food they have grown themselves, and are exposed to new vegetables they may not have eaten before. 

8. Children release stress and anxiety through gardening.

9. Children appreciate good...