By Harry Kane

On Tuesday the Teddy Bear Picnic took place at the Somerville Community Growing Center on Vinal Avenue. The community gathering encompassed a picnic, scavenger hunt, and a lesson about which plants in the city are edible. Each child brought a teddy bear to the picnic and searched the vegetation for different colored small plastic bears that had been hidden in the community garden.

“When the kids come, they get a name tag and their bears get a name tag,” said Courtney Cooke, a volunteer at the picnic. Tara McCaffrey developed the teddy bear idea one year ago. “Last year it was a picnic and parade in Lincoln Park. This year we wanted more of a picnic feel.”

Once the kids had found 5 little plastic bears they were entered in a children’s give-away book drawing. Of the 60 or so kids that were enjoying the late afternoon festivities 11 lucky winners took home a book graciously donated by Henry Bear’s Park toy store in Porter Square.

Aileen Bellwood, the site manager at the Somerville Growing Center was thrilled by the turnout.  She shared a tasty homemade tea with the children and smiled along with the other parents.

The kids were in high spirits as they enjoyed their picnic afternoon. One boy was dressed in a pirate costume and he seemed very intent on finding the hidden teddy bears.

David Craft, the author of Urban Foraging gave the kids a tour of the garden and spoke about edible garden weeds. A particular favorite was the Wood Sorrel. Some of the other edible weeds were Daylily Flower, Purslane, Asiatic Dayflower and Common Mallow.

Tara McCaffrey noted, “It’s great so see so many dads here. We’re kinda hoping this will be an annual thing.” In its second year the Teddy Bear picnic was a huge success.