- Columbus City Schools
- Homepage
Learning the True Meaning of Farm to Table
July 23, 2021 -- This year, Columbus City Schools partnered with a non-profit organization called the PAST Foundation to ensure middle school students have an interactive and engaging experience for six weeks this summer. One of those programs was Urban Agriculture offered at Columbus City Preparatory School for Girls (CCPSG). Below is a conversation with teacher Darla Jackson about the Urban Agriculture 2021 CCS Summer Experience.
Tell us about the Urban Agriculture Class?
Our Urban Agriculture program has been a wild ride, to say the least! Teachers and students have the arduous task of building gardens and learning information about soil and the environment to grow vegetables and other plants. At the end of the six weeks, students will be able to take home vegetables that they have grown and share them with their families; basically, a farm-to-table concept. We have spent long hours in the hot sun, been rained out from thunderstorms, learned how to use power tools, and found new and creative ways to build our vertical gardens using PVC pipe and wooden pallets. Each day is a new experience! We armor up with our gloves and goggles, get some good tunes playing in the background, and get to work building and maintaining our beautiful garden!
What are the most valuable lessons your students learned?
When we first explained to our students what we would be doing in this program very few were excited. The idea of farming seemed to be so far removed from them because they live in the city of Columbus and not on a farm with rolling hills and green pastures. Once we began pulling weeds, measuring the distance between plants, learning about composite materials and soil, finding the correct amount of water they needed for each plant, cutting and drilling holes in PVC pipe, and decorating their individual planters we noticed that students began to take ownership of their gardens. Students now understand that being a gardener takes hard work, patience, and respect for nature to grow foods that we enjoy.
Tell me about the farmer who brought some chickens to the classroom?
The farmer was a friend of Jim Bruner, project manager at the PAST Foundation. He spoke to us a few times this summer. He is an urban agriculture farmer that has a sustainable farm in Columbus. He graced us with his presence and brought chickens in to show the students; It was a wonderful treat!
Teamwork makes the dream work!
That saying could not be more true about the Urban Agriculture program at CCPSG. I can not take credit for the success of this program. We have worked tirelessly and even spent our own resources to ensure the program was a success. That includes Ms. Barber, Dr. Childs, Ms. Pace, and Mr. Bell. The teachers are Ms. Clifton, Ms. Frazier, Ms. Caldwell, Ms. MacMillan, and Ms. Kidinger. We joined forces to make sure our students had the materials they needed to learn how to become urban agricultural farmers. I am grateful for an awesome summer experience.