Connecting with Nature in “From Seed to Table: Adventures in Eco-Farming” 

“The goal of this course really is to connect students to the interconnected nature of food systems and the health of our planet. Through firsthand experiences on the farm, learning from local experts, and exploring the foundations of food systems, students will come away with a deeper understanding of how food arrives on their plates, and the role they can play in making sustainable choices from Seed to Table.” - Allyson Brown, Course Instructor

 

From Seed to Table: Adventures in Eco-Farming (our new summer program) has brought together 15 students from around the world to learn about food production and sustainable farming through hands-on experiences at our 315-acre campus. From Japan and China to Chile, Bahamas, Saudi Arabia and more locally, Lakefield and Douro, we are thrilled to welcome students from diverse backgrounds with unique perspectives and life experiences to participate in this exciting program. Though they are arriving at LCS from disparate locations, these students share in common an interest in learning about food systems through a regenerative lens, and a desire to better understand how their actions can contribute to a more sustainable future. To say that their passion for the planet is inspiring would be an understatement.

 

Though they are just two weeks into the course, our students have already learned how to trellis tomatoes in our hoop house, they’ve implemented an electric fence, measured and prepared fresh planting beds, and harvested a cornucopia of vegetables and herbs. One amazing part of this course is the flexibility to shape the learning experience based on our students’ interests and needs. In other words, students not only immerse themselves in the lessons, experiences, and field trips organized by their teacher, Ms. Allyson Brown, they play an important role in the design, implementation and harvest of our farm, which allows them to feel empowered through their learning experience.

 

In addition to lessons on food systems, food sovereignty, Indigenous knowledge, the science behind soil health and carbon sequestration, the benefits and challenges of common agricultural practices, and food security/insecurity, harvesting vegetables is a weekly activity that our students look forward to each Monday and Wednesday. Though fun and satisfying, harvest days are busy as the produce has to be picked quickly so that it doesn’t wilt in the summer heat. Then it is brought back to the main campus for washing before it’s divided for its various destinations. As students learn about food security (and insecurity), they have the opportunity to become involved in this issue in a meaningful way. The produce our students carefully harvest, handwash, and sort is then donated to local organizations, such as Kawartha Food Share and Nourish Food Project, allowing them to learn firsthand about sustainable food systems. The food that isn’t donated is delivered to our dining hall to supply members of the LCS community with vibrant, nutritious food, prepared by our kitchen staff. They also have a chance to step into the kitchen themselves as they learn how to prepare meals based on crop availability – a skill that is essential for supporting local food systems.

 

Last week, our farm yielded a bounty of beets, onions, carrots, zucchini, collard greens, and a variety of herbs. With this haul in tow, our students headed to the kitchen to prepare harvest vegetable lasagnas, which they donated to the Lakefield Community Food Bank to be enjoyed by members of our local community.

 

We are amazed to see how much our students have learned in just two weeks and we can’t wait to see what the rest of the month has in store for them!