ITHACA, N.Y. In this
shrink-wrapped, vacuum
packed, pre-cooked world, Cor
nell University is striving to
keep a strong agricultural con
nection active in the minds of
21st century children. The uni
versity’s Agriculture in the
Classroom program has devel
oped the New York “Kids
Growing Foods” school-garden
program. This spring, grants are
being awarded to 34 elementary
schools in the state to establish
or maintain these gardens.
“We’re teaching children that
food grows from the ground, it
just doesn’t come from a grocery
store,” said Margaret Barker, a
program coordinator. “New
York state is encouraging teach
ers to be more hands-on, and
there’s nothing more hands-on
than a garden. Building a
garden is a real-life gxperience.”
The New York Kids Growing
Food program sprouted from a
1997 antitrust case settlement
between the New York state at
torney general’s office and a
Kids Grow Food
pesticide manufacturer. Settle
ment terms permitted then-
Attorney General Dennis Vacco
to apportion proceeds for New
York’s agricultural community,
thus providing $130,000 for the
program’s first two years.
Since then, more than 100
New York elementary schools
have received grants to develop
gardens. Additionally, all
garden project teachers have re
ceived professional development
training, and the program has
awarded scholarships to three
teachers to attend Food and
Fiber Across the Curriculum, an
agriculture education summer
course at Cornell.
In return, the schools have
agreed to plant 60 percent of
their gardens with edible fruit*!
and vegetables, to develop a
plan for summer maintenance,
to publicize their gardens within
their community, and to prepare
a report on their garden experi
ence. They also pledge not to use
pesticides.
Reports from grant recipients
show that the gardens touch
more than the studentr the
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 3, 2000-819
teachers, and the parents. Farm
ers, local agricultural businesses,
and community volunteers have
lent their expertise to help these
gardens grow. During the 1998
and 1999 school years, about
25,000 New York elementary
school students have sown the
seeds of gardening success. This
year, about 8,700 more students
will participate across the state.
“Kids are extremely excited,
they’re just really into it,” Foster
said. “