In 2024 the bulk of our garden programming occurred from April - October. However, SustainEd Farms also provides an enrichment class at two middle schools, Kepner Beacon and McAuliffe Manual - these classes happen 2-3 times a week and are offered throughout the school year. With this format SustainEd staff and students are given the opportunity to gain some depth and context for many topics that affect our food systems and the ways in which we interact with them. To start us off we found it only fitting to highlight this programming which starts back this week!
Anecdote
Two students chose to learn how to prune tomato plants for their garden activity, eager to dive into the hands-on work of cultivating their own food. Throughout my demonstration they asked insightful questions that sparked deeper conversations: "What's the point of pruning?" "Where are tomatoes native?" and "Why do tomatoes from the store and fast food places taste so bad?" These questions not only demonstrated their curiosity but also set the stage for their personal discoveries.
During snack time one day, one student eagerly brought over a basket of tomatoes she had just harvested. With a grin, she asked me to document her tasting her very first garden tomato. As she bit into it, her face went from confusion to lighting up with surprise. "I've changed my mind about tomatoes," she laughed. "They're pretty good! But I only ever want them from our school garden."
I share this story, which has stuck with me for months, to invite you into a sweet middle school enrichment moment (of which, there are many) but also to ask you to reflect on your first memory of intentionally engaging with the food you eat.
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