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Fertile Ground broke ground in spring of 2003 as an
after-school teaching garden project of the kindergarten
at the public
elementary school in rural Williamsburg, MA. Right
away, the garden became a focal point for parents
and teachers who wanted their children to learn how
to grow and delight in nutritious food. From breaking
ground to the present, the teachers have been exploring
ways to teach the children to think in terms of connectedness
and relationships. In just five years, the garden
program has become a 24 week curriculum integrated
learning lab for the entire school, grades PreK-6,
which supplies produce to the school cafeteria, and
energizes school community with workdays, celebrations,
and workshops.
A parent recently said, "in the garden the children
learn about the world..." From the beginning,
the project was about connecting urban and rural communities
through the culture of agriculture. The raised bed
garden was constructed with the help and guidance
of youth gardeners at Nuestras
Raíces, about 20 miles away from Williamsburg.
For four years, the youth mentors have shared their
Puerto Rican culture by teaching gardening, building
garden infrastructure, a mural, and mentoring leadership
skills. The kindergarten children study Puerto Rican
culture and visit the Nuestras Raices farm and community
center.
The garden serves multiple purposes:
- a community-building tool for the Williamsburg School;
- a source of experiential learning about food,
health, land, stewardship, and cooperation;
- a place for children, parents, teachers of diverse
communities to meet;
- a place where skilled youth of color are seen
as regional leaders and teachers;
- an inroad into addressing the nutritional value
of school lunch programs.
The garden learning lab has become a regional model
now fully integrated into curriculum for grades PreK-6
(see educational
programs). Fertile Ground is made up of partnerships
with schools, school districts, local business, community
groups, youth, and farmers.
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