FAIRHOPE, Ala. — The sun shone brightly on the first day of a new program for budding green thumbs, in which 5th-graders at the Fairhope Rotary Youth Club planted the city’s first community garden.

“They are the first class of 20 students,” said Debbie Calhoun, as she watched a group of students plant a cornucopia of vegetables on April 22.

“After the six-week program, they will be certified as Junior Master Gardeners,” she said, noting the certification and public service work they do during that time could be important information for future college applications.

“These students will then become mentors for new students in the next class and so on,” said Calhoun, a Baldwin County Master Gardener who designed the curriculum for the project, a cooperative effort organized with the Local Food Production Initiative, a nonprofit group based in Fairhope.

“It’s just a great opportunity for the kids to get experience in gardening, as well as learning some lessons in responsibility, not to mention having healthy food to eat,’” said Ed Lawrence, LFPI’s president.

On a blue sky-filled Earth Day, that first class of mostly 11-year-old children gathered in front of a colorful mural near the prepared soil in raised garden beds and recycled containers, including a discarded child’s wading pool.

After some quick instructions from Calhoun, the children dashed off to various tables holding small plants ready for eager hands.

“Come on, let’s go get some peppers,” said Carole Rhoades, a BCMG volunteer with the project, to several young girls who had just planted some other peas.

A few minutes later, smiles bursting from their faces, they hurried back to the raised garden bed, carrying more seedlings.

That day, the children had the distinction of planting Fairhope’s first community garden.

After all the work is done, this year’s harvest is expected to reap beans, peas, peppers, cucumbers, squash, sweet potatoes, watermelons, cantaloupes and tomatoes.

A larger community garden is planned for later in the year in Fairhope, said Elaine Snyder-Conn of LFPI, who has been a main organizer in the effort, but the one planted by 20 children on April 22 was the first.

Volunteers who assisted the children and helped organize the event or acquire donated materials included: Cathy Blake, Jodie Klugel, Alice Kohler, Ann Luscombe, Louis McGrath, Danny Powell, Rhoades, Liz Tew, Emily Tharpe and Jan Walker with BCMG; and Gary Gover, Lawrence, Snyder-Conn and JoAnne Wettlaufer with LFPI.

“Today’s Earth Day event was an extraordinary example of volunteerism and public education of recycling materials,” Calhoun said. “It was truly an example of what makes Fairhope a wonderful town in which to live.”

For more information about local community gardens and related projects, visit the LFPI Web site at www.fairhopelocalfood.org, or call 928-4646.