erin nurss, mph program coordinator ua arizona nutrition network august 25-26, 2010
TRANSCRIPT
Erin Nurss, MPHProgram Coordinator
UA Arizona Nutrition NetworkAugust 25-26, 2010
Goals of school garden projects Coordinating and Supporting the process
◦ Teachers◦ Master Gardeners◦ Community Food Bank
Building and maintaining the gardens Successes Challenges Future Goals
Make the farm to table connection
Increase exposure and consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables
Develop partnerships that support effective gardening and nutrition education in schools
UA Cooperative Extension◦ Pima County Master Gardeners
SNAP-Ed schools Community Food Bank
Secure materials for gardening Plan for sustainability and maintenance Coordinate garden activities
◦ Participating classes◦ Interested parent volunteers
Incorporate nutrition education before, during and after the gardening activities
Provide gardening expertise Incorporate nutrition education
◦ Reiterate the importance of fruit and vegetable consumption.
Consultations◦ Teachers ◦ Administrators ◦ Parents
Provide seeds, soil, compost Provide ongoing technical assistance Mentor parents Nutrition education
Provide resources and support for schools◦ Lessons and ideas ◦ Links to garden grants◦ Support for sampling the foods grown◦ Allowable purchases
Connect community partners with the schools
Suggested lessons/ideas for the classroom◦ Grow It! Try It! Like It! (USDA Team Nutrition)◦ Fruit and vegetable counting cards◦ Farm to Fork Activity Book (Produce for Better Health)◦ Garden and nutrition education books (Neat Solutions)
From the Garden by Michael Dahl Vegetable Soup and the Fruit Bowl by Dianne Warren and
Susan Smith Jones (K-1)
◦ Health and Nutrition from the Garden (Junior Master Gardeners curriculum) (3-5)
◦ Incredible Edible Science cook book (Learning Zone Express)
Research and report the nutrient contents of the foods
Responsibility and care of the foods
Journal about tastings Write recipes and ingredient lists Research historical uses and
geographical harvests
Special Education Students try the foods they are growing when they
are available in the cafeteria. Gardening used as physical activity and therapy
Garden supplies◦ America the Beautiful◦ Home improvement stores
Suggest sites for materials and grants◦ http://www.kidsgardening.com/grants.asp◦ http://www.wga.com
KidsGardening.com newsletter ◦ Updates on the latest open grant cycles◦ Opportunities for funding for gardening materials and
supplies Captain Planet Foundation
◦ www.captainplanetfoundation.org
Food demonstrations◦ Fresh fruit with a low fat yogurt dip◦ Carrot dip (made from low fat yogurt)◦ Strawberry-Kiwi Eye Opener
Encourage food safety lessons as part of the demonstrations.
Books ◦ Nutritional benefits of gardening◦ Farm to table connections ◦ Importance of eating more fruits and vegetables.
Materials and supplies ◦ Nutrition education related to gardening, fresh
fruit and vegetable consumption, or food safety.
Meet with the directors Attend a program meeting Meet with interested volunteers Ask teachers/schools with gardens for requests Pair Master Gardeners and the Food Bank with
requests from schools
Local donations/sponsors/grants Make a Difference Day Family support and volunteerism
Master Gardeners and Community Food Bank staff met with:◦ Sponsoring teachers at partner schools◦ Classrooms of students
Students learned:◦ Importance of good soil◦ Proper sunlight◦ Proper watering techniques and amounts◦ Water harvesting◦ Food harvesting, washing and preparation
Drexel Elementary School (K-3 gardens)◦ Parent volunteers helped build planters for
vegetable gardens◦ Students cared for their gardens and planted and
harvested carrots, strawberries, pumpkins, peppers, and corn.
◦ Students learned about composting◦ Teacher integrated discussions about:
MyPyramid The importance of healthy eating The link between gardening and nutrition Food safety and preparation
Borton Elementary School◦ Each class has a plot of land for which they care◦ The classrooms harvest their crops and have a
school farmers markets. Students learn:
Gardening Integrated math and business (price, sell and inventory
crops)
Lauffer Middle School (2008)◦ Seed to table connection◦ Created 9 raised beds ◦ Grow tomatoes, eggplant, hot and sweet peppers,
okra, cucumbers, squash, basil, and lavender.
Gained knowledge◦ Desert ecosystems◦ Sustainable agriculture◦ Building practices◦ Mathematics◦ Nutrition and physical activity
Community partners: ◦ UA Nutrition Network, ◦ Mesquite Valley Growers, Lowe’s, The Home Depot, ◦ Sunnyside Foundation◦ Community Food Bank
Successful collaboration in rural areas Master Gardeners
◦ Gardening support◦ Nutrition education◦ Sustainable crops
Community Food Bank◦ Receives crops from Master Gardeners◦ Food preparation workshops
School gardens
Volunteers◦ Master Gardeners◦ Parents◦ Teachers
Culture (Master Gardeners)◦ Priorities◦ Organizational goals◦ Generations
Location Time restraints
Community gardens/Outdoor classrooms Sustainability Nutrition education through Master
Gardeners◦ Junior Master Gardener program◦ Greater incorporation into presentations