Erie's Farm to School Program

Contributed

The raised garden beds installed at Erie's public schools are a result of Erie's Farm to School program, which provides resources, education, and hands-on experiences for students to learn about growing, cultivating, harvesting, selling, and cooking the food they grow on campus.

You may have noticed the outside of Erie's schools look a little different than they used to as more gardens are sprouting up, many with colorful markers and well-cared-for raised beds.

Erie's Farm to School program has 14 school gardens throughout the Erie School District. As students go back to school, many will be building community by learning hands-on gardening and culinary skills. The program connects students and their communities to fresh, local food by cultivating relationships with local farmers and producers, involving them in the practice of growing and preparing produce, and highlighting careers in the food system.

"The chances of the students eating the food that they grew is so high. They grew it and picked it and the pride they feel is really positive and beautiful. Almost any student can participate — it's a really nice way to engage all of the students and you can see some of them are really interested in certain aspects of the program such as cooking or botany," said Stephanie Ciner (Erie's 40 Under 40 Class of 2023), the program's gardener. Ciner has worked with Erie's school gardens and Erie Farm to School for eight years as a gardener and educator. She currently supports agricultural and culinary programming at the district's middle schools and Collegiate Academy.

Doreen Petri has established the theme BELONG within the program: Becoming Empowered by Living Our Natural Gifts. Petri was a science instructor for 40 years and is currently the project manager of Erie Farm to School for the Erie City School District. During her tenure in the district, she has overseen student energy audits, waste cleanups and recycling projects, water quality assessments, and the installation of 14 school gardens. She develops science curriculum, manages grant-funded projects, facilitates professional development workshops and serves on Pennsylvania state committees.

The program maintains a garden at each of Erie's public elementary and middle schools and one at Collegiate Academy. Each garden provides an outdoor classroom and hands-on learning space for curricular lessons, after-school programs, and summer activities. Food harvested at the gardens is shared with students, families, school staff, neighbors, and community partners including food pantries and farm stands. The gardens are sustained by a dedicated network of volunteers and through local, state, and national grants.

Each of the 10 elementary schools offers fall and spring garden clubs. "Schools also participate in a Harvest of the Month program by taste-testing and learning about seasonal foods such as peppers, the September food of the month," said Ciner. Middle schools host a series of garden and culinary club sessions throughout the school year focused on special topics of student interest including indoor growing, cooking, and composting. A gardening and environmental club meets year-round at Collegiate Academy with a special focus on environmental justice and community food systems.

Students at Erie High have also been a part of the Farm to School program. Several enrolled in its Career and Technical Education horticulture program have relayed to Ciner that they decided to study the subject because of their early involvement in the garden club. Erie Farm to School was also involved with the unveiling of a mural created in the school by students, teachers, and Erie Arts and Culture artist-in-residence Annie Schmitt, which features a beehive design with drawings of native plants representing the more than 50 countries of origin of Erie High's students. During the mural's unveiling, an urban farmer made food using all of the horticultural ingredients featured in the mural.

In the springtime, the students prepare the beds, plant seeds, and prepare to nurture the garden throughout the year. In the fall, students harvest produce and put the beds to rest for the winter. Some students and their families participate in summer programming, as well.

"Students also come in the summer — we did a summer camp this year for the first time and we visited bakeries, farmers markets, and farms — students got to see everything involved and we got to eat a lot of meals. We try to nurture those opportunities wherever we can. We will suggest summer jobs (such as with the Sisters of St. Joseph Neighborhood Network or Groundwork Erie) to students if we see an interest," Ciner said.

You can contact your Community School Director to register your student for a Garden Club. For more information on the program or get involved, visit eriefarmtoschool.my.canva.site

Amy VanScoter is a writer, advocate for fresh local foods for all, and the founder of Infinite Love Yoga, LLC. She can be reached at avanscoter@gmail.com