School gardens are sprouting up across America. Recognizing the health and education benefits of school gardens, the California Department of Education launched the Garden in Every School initiative in 1995. With 3,000-plus school gardens, the program reaches across the state of California to enhance education and health.
Many other schools have followed Californias initiative and are creating student gardens. Children are learning how to grow their own food and provide fresh produce for school lunches. Gardening offers children experiential learning opportunities in a wide array of academic disciplines, including natural and social sciences, language arts (garden journaling), visual arts (garden design), and math.
There has been an overall decline in science and math skills among American children. An international study of middle-school children, using 2003 math and science test scores, ranks the United States 28th of 41 major industrialized countries. The need for innovation in science and math teaching is apparent, and there is mounting evidence that students who participate in school gardening score significantly higher on standardized science tests.
In my opinion, every school district across America should be implementing course instruction on sustainable gardening. Our future survival will depend on it. As University of Idaho Extension educator Mir M. Seyedbagheri asserts, Crop production is on the front line in the fight against world hunger and poverty. What better way to fight hunger and poverty than to teach children the basics of growing their own food?
According to Jacque S. Diouf, director-general of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, our world population will double by the year 2050. We already do not have enough food to feed the world population now, so what will it be like in three decades? What will the state of our food supply be in America then?
Processed foods make up 90 percent of the average American food budget. Many contain cancer causing preservatives such as Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA). Nitrates are known to cause colon cancer and metabolic syndrome. The coloring additives blue #1, green #3, red #3, and yellow #6, put into food to make the food more appealing to the consumer, have been linked to bladder, thyroid, kidney and brain cancer. Sadly, they are all deemed “safe” by the FDA and are a disservice to the health of the American people. All you have to do is look at the health of our nation and see we are in crisis. As Thomas Jefferson said, If people let government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as are the souls of those who live under tyranny.
Many school districts are buckling from dwindling resources and budget cuts. They often rely heavily on government-subsidized food programs to feed children that meet poverty guidelines. We have seen an increase at Meridian Middle School, with 46 percent of students receiving free or reduced-cost breakfast and lunch. At Sage Elementary School, the number is even more staggering: 60 percent. Those numbers are alarming and should be cause for concern and action.
Creating sustainable student gardens and Farm to School across America is achievable and should be considered.
Meridian Middle Schools student garden has blossomed. During the 2011-2012 school year, garden club students (the Dirt Diggers) actively participated in every aspect. They learned about soil and composting, sprouted seedlings and studied companion planting, and explored a variety of crafts during the winter months. The students were involved in fundraising, selling terrariums and hosting their first flower sale. Students listened and questioned guest speakers and participated in after-school instructional classes on raspberry planting, growing potatoes and their own plot of food.
MMS special needs students and summer school students take their midmorning break in the garden. They have harvested carrots, lettuce, potatoes and peas.
The student garden at MMS is possible because people care people such as Betsy Howard, the school nurse and visionary leader behind the student garden. With careful thought and design, planning and collaboration with teachers and volunteers, and her many years of garden experience, Betsy has laid the foundation of sustainable gardening at MMS. She is a continued source of inspiration to the garden volunteers and especially the Dirt Diggers, some of whom had never tried a raspberry before being a part of the student garden.
We have had our fair share of challenges. We met USDA regulation roadblocks in the preliminary stage of launching a whole school compost system, and due to an increasing demand for student garden grants, a couple that were applied for were not awarded. However, government regulations can be challenged and changed with perseverance. Continuing research and applying for garden grants will help us to achieve our goals.
Thanks to MMSs community partner, Zamzows, located at 136 E. Water Tower Road in Meridian, for the generous donation of soil, seeds and plants. Zamzows has made it possible for students to plant and grow fruits, flowers and veggies.
With school recessed for the summer and the majority of students on vacation, the garden still continues to flourish and relies on its volunteers; avid gardener and friend Regina Snyder; and University of Idaho master gardeners Diane Friend, Toni Root and Amy McIntyre. When school is back in session, tomatoes, peppers, onions and melons will be harvested for use in the cafeteria salad bar.
The student garden is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Stop by for a tour or lend us your hand. You can also follow the gardens progress at http://twitter.com/#!/DirtDiggersMMS.
If you are interested in donating material, funds or your time to help build a living wall and pollinator garden at MMS, contact Betsy Howard at 855-4245 or zip her an email at Howard.Betsy@Meridianschools.org, or contact Amy McIntyre at 629-6053.
Please send questions or ideas for this column to IdahoGardenGirl@gmail.com
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