The AGman recommends sunflower forests 10 months a year.  Make it as small or large an area you want!  It incorporates horticulture, math, history, agriculture, true environmentalism and conservation, photo/light and gravity, plus shows teleological design by the Designer et al.

1.  Start with giant sunflower seeds, turning into seedlings, in a starter planter.  You don’t have to spend a lot of money; even egg cartons work great and are porous. Do this inside if it’s too cold outside or outside if the SoCal snows have melted.  The kids will learn how to transplant to the forest or ‘shoe site when ready.  You can see directly as well.
2. After about two weeks, you will see the top leafs coming out the top of each.  I recommend do NOT leave them in the planter too long; they grow roots as fast as a politician takes your money: quickly.  The longer they are in planters, the shorter they will be when they mature.  Something impressive to the kid being part of growing a 9-12 foot plant.
3. Decide where you want to make your secret garden or forest for the kids.  Make sure, since EVERYONE IS a home schooling professional (you must be a father, mother or care giver and have a kid or kids; it is the kids that make you a home schooling professional), the kids are a part of the planting, watering, documenting (iPhones take cheap pictures these days). Makes a great ‘science fair’ project.
4. Site suggestions:  horseshoe using maybe 5-10, leaving an opening for the mighty munchkins.  Space them about 18-24 inches around the ‘shoe.   Or a rectangle, square or some other shape to teach geometry.  Possibly along a wall, but remember they LOVE LOVE the sun.  SUNNNNNNNY area a big plus.  If you use standard seeds, plant them about 9-12 inches apart around the ‘shoe or in rows, or teach geometric shapes as well.
5. Dig the holes, then back fill with loose dirt mixed with potting soil, maybe some Miracle Grow with the soil, and then insert the seedlings and water.  Leave a ‘bowl area’ around each and mulch if you can to keep moist.
6. Once they get to one or two feet and their “heads” (the sunflowers not the kids) are developing:  don’t tell your kids but have them observe the plants early in the morn, at noon and later in the day.  They have cute phototropic properties and will FOLLOW THE SUN to get maximum sunbathing rays.  It works with both standard and giant, but the giants really move to the solar music.  This property is a great teachable moment for the kids (and parents).  Let them discover it!
7. DO NOT apply SPF 100 sunblock because the sunflowers will NOT burn unless you don’t water them.  They love water.  If you want to do the lazy urban AGman PVC, i have a posting about what and how to do it inexpensively and reusable season to season.
8. Once they discover the property, have them google ‘phototropic’ and ‘geotropic’ and come up with a conclusion, whether negative or positive, etc.  I would be happy to provide a simple science fair form; you don’t need to go to a science fair but can do it at home. The Beckman ranch will have one in the near future.  The secret is let the kids self discover and sunflower ‘shoes (in which they can put a table or picnic, tea time blanket and enjoy)
9. ENJOY God’s creative work; your kids will see the multi-dimensional beauty built
   

   A heart shaped sunflower from one of our sunflower forests

   into nature and each other as well as see the value of a father and mother and family.

10.  As many of you know, one fraud i despise is the idea God created carbon dioxide, one of the most beneficial, life essential biochemical gases among millions, that has been hijacked by Algore and the anti-OmiGod’s (omnipotence) radical enviromental wackos.  CO2 is not pollution, as the Supreme Courtiers claimed, but essential via photosynthesis for the making of food.  Since most of us feed our kids at least once a week, food is critical for life: without CO2 and water, no food. No food, plants die.  Animals die because they can’t eat plants.  Humans die because they can’t eat plants and animals.  Simple logic ALL pseudoscientists and prostiticians don’t understand.
11. Reason for mentioning this, the sunflower project is one of about 10 ways to demonstrate this fraud the radical unGodly regressive left steals our kids minds and fills them with long words short on the truth, like sustainability, habitat, re-prioritized animal over human value etc.
12. 

    The head begins to droop when it gets close to harvest time; no hurry to chop the head off unless the crows or ants are battling you

    HARVESTING!! If you planted the giants, you will end up with giant heads that can be harvested.  After they flop over and before the birds get them, pull out a couple now and then until they are ripe.  Then cut off the head, and ‘hang’ it with yarn or string inside the domicilic pedagogy school room, in the kitchen or ?  Then, newspaper the table and remove the seeds.

13. Suggest you ‘bake’ them with seasoning, then can them for future eating.  Cheaper than Staters, but it also completes the cycle: from planting to harvest.  BEFORE you bake, save a supply for NEXT year.  The kids will then be raising their, the next, generation.  The cycle of life without Mufasa.
14. And always always remember, it IS a great day to be alive.  God promised us life and abundant at that; don’t buy into the demonized view that kids are abortable vs portable and other satanic beliefs disguised as “science” like eugenics, euthanasia, overpopulation and others.  We MUST start early to insulate our kids from the unGodly world’s influence.  Sunflowers are a great way to help insulate them from believing atheistic evolutionary theories and other drivel whose medusa heads rear themselves with EVERY crises du jour.
15. If you do the science fair charting, ask questions. The scientific method fits well with sunflower forests.  Google it and you will find something like this:
16. Steps of the Scientific Method
    • Make an Observation. Scientists are naturally curious about the world. …
    • Form a Question. After making an interesting observation, a scientific mind itches to find out more about it. …
    • Form a Hypothesis. …
    • Conduct an Experiment. …
    • Analyse the Data and Draw a Conclusion.
17.  Let the kids (with supervision) google for the information.  Young and old will enjoy    God bless!  Len

Len is a real estate broker/realtor who loves life, his 11 kids and his awesome clients.  Part of real estate is protecting the asset, but just as important, getting the most out of life and using your property to the max.  Always remember: “sailors never drown in their own sweat” and “there are no UHaul trailers (personal property) or house movers (real property) behind the hearse.  Mansions on earth are meant to house great families but God builds His own mansions.  Len CANNOT practice real estate sales in heaven.  Purgatory?  Hmm.    Questions: 714 267 1413 or Lenbeckman@M3Real.com.   Other offerings at LifeOutLoudest…