A Harvest Festival, hosted by Growing Healthy Kids, will be held from 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, on the playground at Slater Elementary School.

Growing Healthy Kids is a program sponsored by the Harney Local Community Advisory Committee, The Environmental Center in Bend, Symmetry Care, Harney Partners for Kids and Families, and Harney District Hospital team. This program was also made possible by MANY donations of supplies and time from community members. The goal is to encourage kids and their families to become healthier through growing and preparing healthy foods, living a more active life, and creating healthy relationships with others in the community.

Four gardens were installed behind Slater Elementary where local children learned how to grow their own food. This past summer, Growing Healthy Kids did a summer program where kids not only grew their own food, but were able to interact with other kids their age through cooking, art, science, games, and bike riding. The Harney County Extension Office also taught nutrition classes where the kids learned more about their food and had chances to try new foods. Food from the gardens was sent to local families and multiple school lunch programs.

Big R donated seeds for the participants to continue growing next year. Although the gardens have been cleaned up for the winter, the public is encouraged to join Growing Healthy Kids for good family fun at the Harvest Festival. There will be live music, free games, hay rides, a petting zoo, as well as food and craft vendors.