LCS Eco-Farming Students Learn About Local Farming at the Peterborough Farmer’s Market

One of the central features of our Summer Academy eco-farming course, From Seed to Table: Adventures in Eco-Farming, is the opportunity to learn about agriculture, food production, and sustainability through hands-on experiences. Every week, our students spend time on our Northcote Campus farm, tending to the vegetables and learning about soil science, regenerative agriculture, and the business of running a farm. 

In addition to spending time on the farm, Ms. Allyson Brown (course instructor) plans field trips that take students off campus and immerse them into the local food system. This week, the class went to the heart of downtown Peterborough to visit the Peterborough Farmer’s Market. At the market, students had the opportunity to speak with local farmers to learn more about how they operate their businesses. They also connected with customers to learn why they choose to patronize the farmer’s market and what values they hold with regard to food production. 

Another highlight of the field trip was meeting local restaurateur Tyler Scott. Tyler owns Rare Culinary Arts (formerly Rare restaurant) and has several years of experience building menus with locally sourced ingredients. Tyler shared the importance of supporting local farmers and offered insight into running a restaurant that uses only local ingredients. From making new menus based on crop availability to preserving leftover ingredients, to budgeting, to forming and maintaining relationships with local farmers, our students learned about the many aspects of small business operations in a field that overlaps with agriculture. 

This immersive half-day trip expanded our students’ understanding of local food systems and allowed them to experience what they are learning at Lakefield on a grander scale.