The Abundant Garden Sample

This is a recipe for children of all ages. Studying about bees is the perfect time to indulge in a little honey butter. It's also easy to make and fun to surprise someone with a gift of bread and homemade honey butter. In this activity, children will learn how to make honey butter.

*Disclaimer: Children under the age of one should NOT consume honey. If you or your child is a diabetic, please consult your physician before ingesting sugar of any kind.

**This recipe was adapted from a recipe found on savorynothings.com.

Cross-curricular subjects addressed: Math, Life Skills

Visit our Amazon Store for this activity's full supply list

• Supplies:
  • handheld mixer
  • bowl
  • spatula
  • jar with lid
  • a loaf of bread (either store bought or homemade), cornbread, or biscuits
•  Ingredients: 
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened - You can either buy butter to church or churn your own. (You can find directions on how to churn your own butter below.)
  • 1/3 - 2/3 cup honey (warmed and liquidy) - organic, raw, and local honey is best
• Wash hands thoroughly.
• Subjects addressed - Math and Life Skills: Combine the ingredients and whip them in a small bowl using a handheld mixer.
• Place in a glass jar and cover.
• Find a family to bless and play ding, dong, ditch as you leave this butter and bread on their doorstep.

Churn Your Own Butter: a recipe for children of all ages. In this activity, children will learn a little how life was lived back in the 1800's as they churn their own butter.

*(R) - book personally reviewed

** This recipe was adapted from the book Pioneer Farm by Megan O'Hara.

Cross-curricular subjects addressed: Reading Comprehension, History, Oral Composition, Life Skills, Art, Handwriting

• Supplies:
  • one mason jar with lid (or a real butter churn if you are into antiques)
  • gardening notebook/journal
  • paper (if using a binder) - copy paper, cardstock and/or 140 lb weight paper if using watercolors
  • pencil and eraser
  • art medium of choice (colored pencils, watercolors, crayons, or markers)
  • page protectors
• Ingredients:
  • one cup whipping cream
• Subjects addressed - Reading Comprehension and History: Read the book:
  • Pioneer Farm by Megan O'Hara - highly recommended for children ages 4-11. (R) This cute little story is about life on a farm in the 1880's. (It's best when read wearing a prairie dress and bonnet.)
• To learn more about pioneer life read the one or more book from the following series:
  • Little House on the Prairie Series by Laura Ingalls Wilder - highly recommended for children ages 6-12. (R)
• Subject addressed - Oral Composition: Talk about the story, allowing your child to insert any thoughts he/she may have had while listening. 
• Subject addressed - Life Skills: Put the whipping cream into the mason jar. Put the lid on, making sure it's on tight.
• Dance around while you and your child take turns shaking the jar for 30 minutes. (This is a great way to get some energy out.) You will see the butter separate from the buttermilk.
• Put the butter in a bowl.
• Place the buttermilk in a lidded container and use it to drink or in a recipe (like pancakes or apple cider donuts!)
• Rinse the butter with a little cold water as any buttermilk left on the butter can spoil it.
• Stir in a pinch of salt to taste (optional).
• Use the butter for the above honey butter recipe.
• Subjects addressed - Art and Handwriting: To document learning, have your child draw a favorite scene and/or copy a favorite quote from one of the books above.
• Place the page(s) in a protector when finished and include it in the garden notebook/journal.

->Start the week's second activity "Honey Lemon Lollipops"->

Sample Week Table of Contents

Bees

• Bee Lesson
• Bee Literature
• Honey Butter
• Honey Lemon Lollipops
• Beeswax Candles
• You Are So Bee.you.tiful Cards
• Anatomy of a Bee
• Become a Bee Guardian

Next week's lesson "Johnny Appleseed"