Vermont to establish vegetable gardens at public schools

[cali]

Sanders announces $120,000 grant for school gardens

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Tue Jun 8 2010

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has announced that $120,000 has been awarded to establish community gardens at 40 schools throughout Vermont.

“This project addresses two major issues confronting not just Vermont but the entire nation,” Sanders said. “It will help students learn the importance of good nutrition and a healthy diet. It also will broaden the school curriculum and help make learning fun.”

The grant to the Vermont Community Foundation was secured by Sanders from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Working through the Friends of Burlington Gardens, the hands-on educational program will provide material and supplies such as topsoil, compost, raised beds, fencing, hoses, rakes, hoes and trowels.

Each school will be linked to the Vermont Master Gardener program at the University of Vermont with experienced and trained gardeners to provide expert advice and assistance.

Students will learn about growing food and where food comes from. There will be lessons about diet and the benefits of fresh food compared to processed snacks. Student gardeners also will learn about Vermont’s rich agricultural history and, in the process, strengthen bonds between schools and their communities, and between schools and the sustainable agriculture producers and networks in Vermont.

Students will plant seeds and then nurture, cultivate, water and weed the fruit and vegetable gardens. At the end of the summer growing season, they will harvest what they have grown. Then salads, soups and healthy snacks made from the freshly-picked produce will end up on the menu for school lunch programs.

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http://www.vermontbiz.com/news/june/sanders-announces-120000-grant-school-gardens

[Tailormyst]

1. Okay now THIS is really cool.

I love Bernie and these sorts of lessons can last a life time.

[cali]

3. yes, it's really neat

we have a fantastic community garden in my town that both the high school and elementary school kids work on, but maybe now they can have gardens right on their campuses.

[JuniperLea]

2. Great idea... or revisit of an old idea that was very good...

When I was a kid, my pet pterodactyl and I planted veggies at school. Our teacher brought in an electric "burner" and a big pot... we harvested, prepared, and ate a delicious stew one day in the third grade. I'll (obviously)never forget the sense of accomplishment, and self-sufficiency. I've always had home grown vegetables and/or herbs ever since.

[hayu_lol]

4. Many of the elementary schools in the LA area...

had Victory Gardens. Schools that did not have the gardens bused the kids to schools that did so that all could learn to weed and take care of plants. WWII of course.

[JuniperLea]

22. It was still going on in the 60's when I was in elementary school...

In the Los Angeles area.

[donco6]

5. Just a heads up for those considering -

These have to be done as part of a community organization. Schools aren't in session during the main growing months, so someone has to manage the thousands of issues that arise with these gardens. They aren't as easy to do as people might think. We have several.

[cali]

7. This is an ongoing thing in quite a few Vermont/school communities

has been for years and years. This is Vermont. Most towns still have an agricultural base, lots of knowledgeable people willing to help out, etc. But in other places, it might well be more complicated.

[donco6]

10. Here in the city it's another story.

They love to start these things because they think it's just, Dig up the Dirt, Plant the Seeds, Water and Wait. Uh . . . no. Anyone who's worked in one can tell you there's a lot more to it than that. And it's not cheap.

[cali]

12. right. here there are lots of 4-H kids

and kids who grew up with farming or gardening. They know the ropes and can help the kids who don't.

[donco6]

17. Wish we had that.

Most of our kids have never distinguished a weed from a crop. It's great for them to learn and I support them in it, but I just wish the teachers would think ahead a little. I turn around and they've had some parent drag a rototiller over my sprinker system and plant corn plants. ARRRGH!!!! :)

[avaistheone1]

6. Vermont appears to be way ahead of the rest of the country again.

K&R

[rotund1]

8. How long will it take for somebody to sue the school over some imagined case of

ptomaine poisoning or to find another perceived path to easy money...

grr

[cali]

11. won't happen here.

this actually isn't new. It's just some funding for more gardens. and this program has been going on for quite a few years:

http://www.farmtoschool.org/VT/programs.htm

[rotund1]

20. Good. It ought to be in every US school!

I'm just so jaded over our litigious proclivities...
grr

[CTyankee]

9. My grandson's school in the LA area is doing this...

It is a public school that also has language immersion programs in German, Italian and Spanish, in addition to regular classes.

Of course, being in Southern Cali is differnt in terms of "growing seasons" than VT. My grandson's "gardens" are year round...

[Ron Green]

13. It turns out that "Ag," despite being stuck in a building out back of the school all those years,

is the most important subject of all.


Beside music, of course. :-)

[GoneOffShore]

14. Great - Just as long as Monsanto doesn't supply the seeds!

Or sue the school when some of Monsanto's GMO seeds blow into the garden.

[cali]

16. Nah.

odds are they'll be using High Mowing Organic Seeds

http://www.highmowingseeds.com/

[ThomWV]

15. I went to public school in Cleveland in the 1950's and each student had a garden plot

[lostnfound]

18. Thanks Mom, for building a vegetable garden with me when I was 11 or 12

It is still a sweet memory, helping her dig up a 12'x30' or so section of lawn in the backyard, laying it out, watering it and harvesting. Something we did together.

[cali]

19. My folks kept a huge garden

heck, we even had an orchard and we had a cool old tractor. And I always did a garden when my son was growing up. I don't do as big a garden now, but I love having my small one.

[Old Troop]

21. This is great, but will the kids be required to tend the gardens during

summer vacation? I imagine that there will be lots of volunteers at first, but farming is hard work and I can imagine the kids losing interest during the summer. During WWII a lot of schools planted Victory Gardens successfully, but there was a different dynamic at the time.

[Scurrilous]

23. K & R

:thumbsup: