School-2-Farm
What is School-2-Farm?
School-2-Farm programming deepens students’ understanding of the agricultural community. In the Fall & Spring, students travel to the Community Garden for experiential gardening practices, such as planting, weeding, & harvesting.
School-2-Farm programs are increasing throughout our nation, both in rural & urban communities, impacting practices at schools & early childhood care facilities.
In partnership with the FFA program at Mattoon High School, Fit-2-Serve facilitates School-2-Farm programming with approximately 120 2nd graders during the academic year.
Currently, food harvested from the community gardens is not purchased to be consumed by students through the cafeteria meal offerings; but it is our hope that, in time, this will come to fruition.
Lessons
September
Students took a trip to our garden located by the First Presbyterian Church & learned all about harvesting. They LOVED picking the root veggies out of the ground! They also got to harvest seeds from different kinds of fruits & veggies. The students planted some garlic & learned that a garlic 'seed' is called a 'bulb'!
November
Students took a trip to the high school. The FFA team put on a short demonstration using an apple to show how valuable our available soil is on Earth. Students then made their own "Soil Sam" using grass seed & soil in nylon decorated with Google eyes & pipe cleaners affixed with glue. When watered, the grass seed will grow hair on Sam!
January
The students learned all about composting & worms. The students got to hold worms, & learn about compost tea. They also played a game of headbands, learned the word the 'biodegradable', & what can & cannot be composted.
February
The students learned about the lifecycle of a chicken. They got to walk through each of the stages in real time with the Mattoon FFA high school students.
March
This month was all about DIY garden activities. Students made pollinator seed pops, designed their own garden & planted a seed to take home & a seed for our community garden.
May
The students returned to the garden this month to plant, harvest & see how the garden has changed since they last visited! They got to see how the watering system works, & take home a veggie & farmers market coupon!
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