“Food access is not simply a health issue but also a community development and equity issue. For this reason, access to healthy, affordable, and culturally appropriate food is a key component not only in a healthy, sustainable local food system, but also in a healthy, sustainable community.” (https://www.planning.org/research/foodaccess/)
The city of Angeles is home to one of the biggest disparities visible in wealth and education. In certain parts of the city, all that divides an affluent community from an underprivileged neighborhood is one block. Side by side, the poor eat with the rich, yet food access and consequent groceries are drastically different. For many low income families who are short on time and energy, their only salvation is the brightest fast food sign. This alone raises many questions on food affordability, food deserts, food swamps (geographic areas marked by high densities of unhealthy food options), grocery store demographics, and general food access. Education is also another major factor contributing to food choice, but where do you begin? Google? How would you go by in explaining our current food system to people who have limited knowledge on the subject and little time? Would it be enough to know you should eat organic, if there isn’t anything organic for miles? Even then, could you afford it? Fellow Angelenos have tried answering these questions in very creative practical ways. Check out Ron Finley and his urban gardening solution.
For this week’s question, if you were assigned as a farm-to-fork educator for a new Los Angeles healthy eating program for the youth, what would you include in Farming 101, both in theory and in practice? Your lesson plan should be between 200-350 words, since the youth have short attention spans and include at least one hands-on activity.
I would first like to say thank you so much to Edwin for bringing our attention to this video. It was so inspirational and powerful and we need more people like Ron Finley in the world! For my lesson plan, I would like to follow the words of Ron and plant some shit! I think gardening probably sounds like the least cool thing to a kid in school and I love the video’s idea of turning that idea on its head. So for day one, I would bring in a meal that I made solely from plants from my own garden (something delicious that they would enjoy) and have them engage in the act of eating together, family style. After finishing our meal (or snack) I would say that that is our assignment: to create a community garden that uses the plants that were used in this meal and then some. We would go outside and start planting! I think it is a good question to raise, where do we start? Especially for kids like the ones Edwin and the video mentioned living in areas that lack the resources to consider healthy foods as a priority and so instead of starting with a lecture of why food is important, I would want to begin with giving them the pleasure of tasting what great food can taste like and being a part of the process of making it. As Ron said, if kids grow kale they eat kale. That seems like a good place to start.
ReplyDeleteMy program would feature a large focus on healthy EATING—that’s my favorite part, and I’d imagine it is for the kids, as well! I would make sure that every thing we discussed was deeply rooted in the consumption of the food, how it directly affects the students. In addition to planting food, I’d lead a cooking class. I hope this would help them gain confidence and creativity when experimenting with food combinations; teaching them that ‘weird’ food isn’t necessarily ‘gross’ food is a huge first step in diversifying diets! Also, baking, which emphasizes following recipes closely, would cultivate reading comprehension skills and proper methodology, both of which would be helpful for future school activities and jobs. Most importantly, I would make sure that they produced enough food for their families and communities to enjoy. By creating a culture of sharing food, the community could become more aware of those in need around them and of how to get assistance for their own needs.
ReplyDeleteIn order for the cooking class to be successful, it’s essential that it function in tandem with an effective garden. Not only does this provide key ingredients for the class, but it also encourages the students that they can have agency in their own food production. As Ron Finley discusses in his TED talk, the food supply in Los Angeles is working against the interests of inner-city youth. Without a food chain that is independent of the industrial system, the class will seem like an empty attempt to help. If the students wouldn’t have access to fresh food outside of class, they can’t apply anything they’ve learned. And if they can’t find a use for it in their daily lives because it feels impossible, they’re less likely and less able to make healthy food a priority.
If I were to make a school plan I would want it to focus on educating students about how food grows. I think that the educating students at a young age about where food comes from can at least begin the questioning process. I know that in my education I had very little information about, one what grew from where, and two what that specific plant needed to best produce. Looking specifically into the growing needs of different plants the children would be able to understand what works in their climate at what times, and would be able to see how artificial it is that we, as a society are able to have anytime of food all year round. I would want the students to be able to pick what plants we studied, as well. I think this would better engage the kids and inform them about what they wanted to learn. I would then want to visit local gardens, and planting initiatives so the students could physically see what they were learning in action and have the tools to accomplish it or get involved. I really liked in the video, the quote about how children will eat what is in front of them. I think if children are able to learn and put in practice the work needed for food they will at least practice start to question the current food system. I think that the process of questioning systems is something that children are not able to do at a young age, and giving them the tools to see the sides to this system would put them in a great position to work for change.
ReplyDeleteIf I were to make a school plan I would want it to focus on educating students about how food grows. I think that the educating students at a young age about where food comes from can at least begin the questioning process. I know that in my education I had very little information about, one what grew from where, and two what that specific plant needed to best produce. Looking specifically into the growing needs of different plants the children would be able to understand what works in their climate at what times, and would be able to see how artificial it is that we, as a society are able to have anytime of food all year round. I would want the students to be able to pick what plants we studied, as well. I think this would better engage the kids and inform them about what they wanted to learn. I would then want to visit local gardens, and planting initiatives so the students could physically see what they were learning in action and have the tools to accomplish it or get involved. I really liked in the video, the quote about how children will eat what is in front of them. I think if children are able to learn and put in practice the work needed for food they will at least practice start to question the current food system. I think that the process of questioning systems is something that children are not able to do at a young age, and giving them the tools to see the sides to this system would put them in a great position to work for change.
ReplyDeleteI loved the talk by Ron Finley and I think the work he is doing in his community is phenomenal. Thanks for sharing the video Edwin! I think starting from a place of cultural relevancy is important in any educational endeavor, particularly when working with youth. Assuming this is a multi-week class, I would start out by asking the kids about their favorite foods and what dishes their parents or grandparents make that they love. After brainstorming, I would have the kids talk to their family members who make these dishes and bring in a list of ingredients for the next class. This would bring in an intergenerational component to the lessons and hopefully continue the conversations at home. I would next have the kids plot and plant a small garden based on the ingredients of the dishes the kids bring in. Each week would be spent maintaing the garden and the students would rotate the various responsibilities in order to get a sense of the different types of work that go into growing your own food. The class would wrap up with a big community dinner where the kids would prepare the dishes we started out with for their families using the ingredients that we grew together. The students would present a talk to their guests about the process and provide information for those who would like to participate in and continue the garden. My goal would be for the class serve only as a start to the conversation and after the class is complete, have the students continue the work they began with their families and community.
ReplyDeleteMy hypothetical lesson plan:
ReplyDeleteTaste it, touch it, learn with it! I've seen more and more elementary classes and youth camps around Kalamazoo adopting an educational gardening program in which participants have an opportunity to get their hands dirty... unfortunately, because school lets out in June, too often the students don't get to reap the benefits of the garden... Not in L.A.! In my fake role as everyone's favorite teacher, I would (not be a credible giants gardener) make an effort to have already matured plants to bring in to students to show them and allow them to experiment with as I briefly explained why they are an asset to our health and what you can make with plant X. I'dd then allow them to help me put the plants in the earth in our (classroom under grow lights, outdoor gardens, whatever a public school in LA can hook up) growing area.
Each week, we would check in on growth, weed, etc... I'd probable also make them journal about their favorite plant or something really... corny... (just to knock out my English plans). Then I'd commence a sort of harvest party pep-rally: as Ron Finley says, if kids GROW kale, they will EAT kale. Training them to enjoy their time at work outside, track and witness the growth processes of their plants, and then helping them prepare a simple meal (or just the salad) and eating with them, perhaps inviting their siblings or parents or whoever can make it, to extend the lesson into the community formed around food.
This video was amazing. Thank you Edwin for bringing our attention to this man’s efforts. A couple things really stood out to me from the video one point was that LA has many empty lots being put to no use. I am sure this is not specific to just LA. Another point that stuck out to me was when Ron said that how we interact with/the knowledge we have of soil correlates to our mental and physical health. My lesson plan would connect the fact that there is space being put to no use with this idea of soil Ron presents. Theoretically, I would develop a lesson plan that revolved around kids working to establish a garden in maybe an empty lot near a school or near a community center. Each class would build on the work of the previous creating generational bonds. One of the first lessons, however, that I would teach would revolve around soil composition and planting seeds. Much like what we did on the first day of Amy’s farm the class would get to learn about, feel, and interact with different soil types. This would connect the kids to the earth in an intimate way. I would also introduce them to what nurtures soil and would probably bring in earthworms for the kids to examine and watch. I also would in my lesson plan have small groups be in charge of caring for different plants. This would make them invested in the process and give them a feeling of accomplishment when their plant grew with success. In the future, I think teaching kids how to compost would be another great way for them to learn about what environments food grows best in. Understanding what healthy soil is I believe would encourage kids to look around their neighborhoods and identify the places where food is and is not able to grow maybe providing them insight into the issues in our food system and motivating them to get involved in the food justice fight.
ReplyDeleteI believe that it is important to understand the role food plays in our everyday lives beyond its place at the table. Farming is a foreign concept to many living in urban environments, I would imagine that very few children have visited a farm like our own Harvest of Joy Farm LLC. However, every child can appreciate the importance of food. Farming 101 should attempt to educate children about food and the roles it plays in culture, nutrition, art, history and life on earth. I feel that in our desire for efficiency, we have lost respect for our food and where it comes from. By teaching children to understand and respect food, we can teach them to understand and respect farming and in turn nature. With our homes, heating, plumbing, computers, and smartphones, food remains one of the ways we can reconnect with nature. We must strive to remove the layers between us and nature by reconnecting with our food, by teaching children that food does not come from a store, but from the earth. By letting children experience farming firsthand, they can begin to understand that food is more than something to put into your body at designated times throughout the day. Hopefully, by reconnecting with our food, we can begin to respect it, and the earth the way we need to.
ReplyDeleteWell, I do kind of teach Farming 101, just in a different context! One aspect that I would definitely include in my curriculum would be to let kids participate--no, not participate, take OWNERSHIP of the whole growing process, from soil to seed to plant to table back to compost and seed again. I think that that sort of intense participation in the whole cycle of life (as it sustains our lives) has so much to teach us not just about eating, but about life and death as well. I also think that there's a confidence that comes from knowing that you have the skills to feed yourself and your family not just this year, but next year too and the year after.
ReplyDeleteRon Finley's claim that "if kids grow kale, kids eat kale" rings very true in my experience. There's something really sacred and wonderful about eating food that you've grown and sharing that food with others. I would want kids to have that experience. So, as a part of their gardening project, I would ask them to host a dinner featuring foods that they grew and harvested. They could make pizza topped with fresh veggies with kale chips on the side. They could invite friends or family members to the dinner if they wanted to. At the dinner, I would ask each kid to tell a story about the food that they were serving--a memory of a special time in the garden or something interesting they learned about one of the vegetables they were serving. This would allow them to not only share food with each other and the people they love, but also share their experiences and knowledge.
The other thing I think is really important is to let kids make mistakes in the garden and then encourage them to learn from those mistakes. My first gardens were disasters! But that's how I learned what NOT to do! I would encourage kids to try things and see what happens rather than micro-managing their garden work.
I appreciated Ron Finley’s talk because he proposed a simple solution to an issue that is complex and is rooted in a world where people are faced with not so simple challenges everyday. I think it is important to emphasize the role community played in his garden and other organizations working to do similar projects. If I were to lead a farming 101 class I would hope to create a community garden like Roy’s. Many of our peers have proposed great ideas about where our food is coming from and incorporating that into farming 101. To add on to these ideas I would emphasize in this mini-lesson that a garden thrives in a community. Different people have different strengths and like our natural world, we need others who are different from us to create a productive and positive space. In order to apply this idea to farming 101 I would have students work with a different partner each week on one aspect of the garden. Then we can reflect on what other people worked on for the week. Students will be able to see how the efforts of the whole classroom allowed for the garden to be created and maintained. I know some people who are capable of creating gardens on their own, but I have seen the most meaningful projects when a community is involved!
ReplyDeleteIf I were charged with developing such a program, I’d like for it to be centrally focused on the concept of “sharing;” knowledge, power, and responsibility would be “shared” in curriculum design, in crop choice for a classroom/community garden, in garden maintenance, and in how we might prepare food from this garden. In practice, this might take the form of having students choose topics that most interest them in the context of “Farming 101” (like in our class). This model has the potential to engage students—who may be coming to this program from different cultural backgrounds or experiences—in identifying and exploring the aspects of growing/food that they enjoy or find “comfortable” as well as in learning about what others find interesting/meaningful about this topic; we might share our own “knowledge” and experiences surrounding food/farming in this way. Outside of the classroom—perhaps in a community or “curbside” garden as Ron Finley suggests—this philosophy of “sharing” should extend. If the objective of the program is to encourage healthy eating, we should plant foods that kids are interested in eating (so long as they are appropriate foods for the LA climate); we’ll “share” the decision-making process. Likewise, these students should share responsibility for maintaining the garden. As Ron Finley said, “If kids grow kale, kids eat kale!” Investing in a joint project might transform relationships to both food and the people involved in the process of creating it. Finally, Farming 101 should EAT food! Sharing our recipes and stories about food as well as our time preparing it are deeply personal ways to connect with others and with what enters our bodies.
ReplyDeleteI would try to focus on the potential of the land that people have. This would focus on different farming techniques that utilize space more efficiently. As people don't have very much land, making the most of it can be quite important. I would definitely try to push micro-animal husbandry (insect farming). I feel that these ideas are incredibly important to teach within the first course so that it is part of the original knowledge that people have. These concepts are key to the concepts to the idea of freedom from the traditional food system that has trapped people in food deserts and swamps. Allowing people to fully utilize their land in order to escape these problems with our food system.
ReplyDeletePractical activity: I would like to create a small garden with the children. Since my educational background is biology, I will give each child a notebook and make them observe how vegetables grow from a tiny seed into edible products. I would also like to discuss the environment that is necessary for vegetables to grow, such as ideal amount of water, pH, microbes, and sunlight. Such activity would give children hands-on skills to produce their own food, which is a very important life skill to have. Additionally, this activity is a great opportunity for children to realize that we are a part of a natural ecosystem.
ReplyDeleteIn addition, I would like the children to realize that we are sustaining our lives through consuming other living forms. That said, I would imagine that it would be extremely difficult for us to raise live stocks in a school setting. Instead, I would teach children how the meat, eggs, and milk we consume are being produced in industrial settings today. I would also like to emphasize the importance of “clean kill” when we eat other life forms, and discuss how we can pay “respect” towards the food we eat.
This class has definitely pushed me to understand the importance of the individual when it comes to changing our system of agriculture. I'm really happy you asked this question, because it reminds me that you don't really know about something until you're able to teach it to someone else. For this, I'd use a variety of tools, real and abstract. Documentaries really find their target audience with me, but I know they wouldn’t necessarily have the same effect with a group of children – as well, it may be more harmful than it would be good to use what is essentially true scare tactics on impressionable, not necessarily worldly minds. So instead of presenting a movie, I would follow by Finley’s example and make it hands on and important to them. The classroom would be outside with the land they would be working to cultivate. I may begin by asking what they love to eat and where they think it comes from. I’d ask them what they think we should be eating (if they’re not already eating like this), and whose job it is to make sure we don’t get sick from it. I remember first learning about the food pyramid in gym class; its lessons didn’t necessarily stick with me, but I think the concept is still viable, even though now its look has changed. These questions and bits of information would be the preliminary steps taken as we survey the space and take stock of what we have to work with. I would continue by having them get their hands in the dirt – in much the same way as we did the first day on the farm. Giving children individual tasks and the ability to follow through without it seeming forced goes a long way; we’d split up into teams to tackle the weeds, the broadforking, the seed/soil prep, and the watering. It would be manageable, not overwhelming, and really nurture teamwork and understanding without being burdensome.
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