New Roots team planning “farm-to-school” curriculum
May 26th, 2009
Press Release
For immediate release, May 22, 2009
Topic: New Roots team planning "farm-to-school" curriculum
Contact: Allyn Rosenbaum, 351-0616
Q. What's the best way to teach students about sustainable food systems?
A. Put them to work creating one.
That's the vision motivating a team of New Roots Charter School staff and volunteers who are developing plans for the school's "farm-to-school" educational programs. New Roots is part of the growing farm-to-school movement which is taking hold in school systems across the country. These programs connect schools with local farms and gardens, serving healthy meals in school cafeterias, improving student nutrition, providing health and nutrition education opportunities that will last a lifetime, and supporting local small farmers.
"There are so many great things we can do to connect our kids with their food. A big part of understanding where our food comes from and how we can impact our community is understanding the difference between opening a can and growing, picking, processing, and cooking food," said Allyn Rosenbaum, who is leaving her long-time post as GreenStar's Deli Manager to serve as New Roots' Farm-To-School Coordinator and Lunch Lady.
A NEW KIND OF LUNCH LADY
Rosenbaum's job description puts the lunch lady in charge of the decisions that shape the lunch program. It includes figuring out where and how to procure foods locally and affordably, and helping to design systems for food processing, storage, and preparation that will involve the students in providing their own food supply throughout the year.
Rosenbaum was part of a New Roots study team that recently traveled to Burlington, Vermont to participate in the first annual Northeast Farm-To-School Conference. The conference attracted over 300 school food service providers, teachers, administrators, activists, farmers, and students. The crowd was addressed not only by Vermont's Secretary of Agriculture, but also by Governor Jim Douglas and Senator Patrick Leahy, a sign of the growing significance of Farm-to-School in the public policy arena.
Rosenbaum was joined by New Roots science faculty member Rebecca Rodomsky-Bish, West Haven Farm Manager Todd McLane, Cornell graduate and community volunteer Audrey Baker, and Joanna Green, Director of the new Groundswell Center for Local Food & Farming, which is collaborating with New Roots on its farm-based educational programs.
THE FARM AS CLASSROOM
"West Haven Farm is going to be an important part of the New Roots campus," said Green. "It's one of the area's most exemplary small farms, it's very close to downtown, and both Todd and John [Bokaer-Smith, farm owner] are really committed to teaching kids about food and farming." New Roots students will participate regularly in activities at the farm, where they'll get hands-on experience growing some of the food that will supply their own lunch program.
"Most of us farmers want to give something to the community - that's one of the reasons we're farming," said Todd McLane, who enjoys working with kids of all ages at West Haven Farm. "There are a lot of students who don't do so well in a classroom, but when you get them outside, in nature, working with their hands and their brains, it's a whole different story."
In addition to activities at West Haven Farm, New Roots students will be looking for opportunities to grow food in one or more downtown locations within walking distance of the school's Clinton House location. "Rather than set it all up for the students," explains Rebecca Rodomsky-Bish, "we want them to go through the process of finding a potential gardening site and working with the neighbors, the church, organization, or whatever it is, to make arrangements to use that site. And they'll need to give something back in exchange. Building a sustainable food system takes a lot more than growing skills. It takes a lot of community building and cooperation."
RIPPLE EFFECT
New Roots' visions for empowering young people as citizens and entrepreneurs is what inspired Cornell senior Audrey Baker to get involved in farm-to-school efforts. "Catching wind of the New Roots philosophy changed my life," she said. "Back in October, it was news of the school that sparked my passion for getting local foods in school meal programs."
Baker went on to develop "Play with Your Food," a summer camp program for preteens which she will launch through Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County this summer at the Greater Ithaca Area Activities Center (GIAC). Baker will work with preteens in the program to build, maintain and harvest a salad garden, and to learn about agriculture, gardening, and cooking for their families.
"I think this is a great example of the kinds of ripple effects we're going to see in this community," said New Roots founder and Principal Tina Nilsen-Hodges.