-Increase interest in eating fruits and vegetables and improve
attitude toward fruits and vegetables. Pothukuchi, K. 2004. Hortaliza: A Youth “Nutrition Garden” in Southwest Detroit. Children, Youth and Environments 14(2):124- 155.
-Have a positive impact on student achievement and behavior.
Blair, D. (2009). The child in the garden: an evaluative review of the benefits of school gardening. Journal of Environmental Educa- tion 40(2), 15-38.
The increase in students’ openness to trying new things, their
passion for gardening and getting outdoors, the positive feedback we get from parents and teachers all speak to the great success of this program.
Accolades from Across the Nation: Oregon Green School status First Oregon Wellness Award Kiwi Magazine Crusaders Award Health Magazine 2008 Healthiest Schools Report Subject of 2007 NPR story on school food (LINK TO http://www.
npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6515242) KPTV feature “Food Revolution” Link to
http://www.better.
tv/videos/m/30671714/
food-revolution.htm Oregon Live
Check out Chef Nicole and Abernethy’s School Kitchen Gar-
den Program on Facebook or on the website:
www.gardenofwonders. org
More information:
gardenofwonders@yahoo.com
Written by Sarah Sullivan, Abernethy School Kitchen Garden Program Coordinator
healthy food choices by learning to cook delicious meals and snacks with locally grown produce. Children leave the classroom excited about green garden dip or butternut squash soup, dishes their parents may never have dared to serve. A particularly exciting component of the Corvallis Farm
to School program is its direct connection to the Corvallis School District’s department of Nutrition and Food Services. For several years, Food Services has worked with the Edible Corvallis Initiative to facilitate Tasting Tables and the promotion of locally grown produce. Beginning this year Sara McCune, the Edible Corvallis Initiative’s Farm to School Coordinator now spends half of her time working directly with Sharon Gibson, the director of Food and Nutrition Services. Together Sara and Sharon work to significantly increase the amount of local food purchased by the school district beyond the days that Tasting Tables are held and to turn the cafeteria into a healthy place where students can expect to learn about the food they are eating and the process it underwent before it arrived on their cafeteria trays.
Sara McCune is Farm to School Coordinator for the Edible Corvallis Initiative, Corvallis Environmental Center
CREST Farm to School
by Bob Carlson CREST is an environmental education center operated by
the West Linn-Wilsonville School District. One of the key CREST programs is the CREST Farm. The farm is located on surplus district property. Currently, a half-acre of land is producing vegetables for school cafeterias and other uses. Last summer, middle school and high school interns learned how to grow, maintain, and sell vegetables from a farm stand on site. Next summer, the students will operate a 20 family CSA in addition to running the farm stand. The farm is also used as a field trip destination for K-12
students year round. Each season approximately 600 students visit the farm. Learning activities are tailored to the needs of individual teachers or teams of teachers. Many of the trips emphasize wellness and the benefits of eating fresh healthy fruits and vegetables. Other field trips focus on sustainable agricultural practices that help conserve resources and promote a healthy ecosystem. Lessons include biodynamic farming practices such as maintenance of soil health, natural pest management, crop rotation and wise use of water. Students participate in hands on activities including: planting, thinning, pruning, composting, amending soil, and harvesting. All of the farm lessons promote ecological literacy by
helping kids understand their connection to food and how the production of food can affect ecosystems. They gain an understanding of the delicate balance of ecosystems and the interconnected web of living things. One of the goals of the farm is to give students a chance
to make a difference in their community and the world by participating in service learning. Some students participate in projects that provide food to local food banks and support sustainable agriculture projects in other communities and other countries. A number of CREST staff help run the farm and create
meaningful educational experiences for students. A professional farmer lives on-site and provides technical expertise, a part- time grant-funded educator runs field trips and the internship program, and an AmeriCorps member recruits community volunteers and establishes systems for distributing the food to school cafeterias. She is also offering tasting programs to schools to promote increased consumption of vegetables and fruits.
Bob Carlson is the CREST Director.
CLEARING 2011
www.clearingmagazine.org/online
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