Growing Farmers

One of the reasons I started my farm to teach kids where their food came from. Out of that grew the knowledge that there is a quiet crisis brewing - who will grow tomorrow's food? Students in Agricultural Science learn the corporate scientific view of farming, which hasn't proven all that wonderful for the planet. It has however proven very helpful in feeding people. It's also worked out really well for agri-giants. 

But when it comes to growing the safest food, and helping heal the planet and move forward in a more progressive way, it's the sustainable and organic farmers that will be needed. Where do they learn? 

Today's college students are being introduced for such farming through "Food Security," and "Food Policy" programs at places such as Yale, Marlboro College among others. But the next generation, those in elementary school, are being isolated from farms and told that their future is in technology, fashion, and engineering. For many kids that may be the direction they want or need to go. But what about the child who wants to nourish the soil, promote local health, work independently? are they lost to learn on their own? 

Opening farms like mine up to these kids, often through family and homeschooling programs, provides an opportunity to develop that nurturing soul in a child. But how do we get public schools to recognize farms are viable labs for biology, physics, relevant math, even creative writing and the arts? How do we get it back into the center of learning that it used to be, rather than the "orphan" class for kindergarteners?

I don't know the answers to those questions, but more and more farm education centers and nature centers are developing farm programs. A new organization, http://www.farmbasededucation.org/ are developing programs to tackle this issue. In school programs such as those developed with Alice Waters are also helpful.

But families can start now, by growing their own gardens, supporting Community Supported Agriculture (CSA's) and participating in farm education activities. They're fun. They're tasty, and they'll help feed your family tomorrow, and beyond.