BY MEGAN SCHOOLEY
Edible education is at the heart of the Edible Schoolyard Academy (ESY) in Berkeley, California. ESY and Berkeley’s public school system have revolutionized school food culture and have pioneered kitchen and garden education programs.
To my delight, ESY holds trainings to teach people how to fish. They aim to keep the wave of their work rippling out to benefit other communities, and teach pragmatic, heartfelt ways to do this. With the enthusiasm of a kid at a water park, I hopped on a plane to get a glimpse of greener pastures.
What is edible education? Are we just teaching kids how to garden or eat the right foods? This past week I came to understand that the answer is no; it is so much more!
First of all, students actually want to be a part of ESY. Fewer students miss class on days they’re scheduled to work in the garden or have kitchen classes. Interactive classrooms still teach academic subjects. The key here is that students become engaged and challenged in different ways than in a traditional classroom setting.
Classes are centered around self-discovery, imagination, independence and creativity. They teach in a way that is culturally diverse and inclusive, and this spurs curiosity in students toward the world at large.
Students feel empowered. They relish the accomplishments of learning life skills, helping seeds grow into vegetables and preparing delicious meals. They become the teachers, for each other and for their families.
Megan Schooley, a garden educator and herbalist behind Wild Freckle Lotions, also works with The Hunger Coalition’s Hope Garden and Edible by Design landscaping. Last week, she attended ESY as part of a joint team from the Wood River Valley and Salmon River Valley. Local Food Alliance and Salmon School Garden Project organized and coordinated the funding and logistics for this cross-community collaboration. The Local Food Alliance is a nonprofit whose mission is to create a vibrant local food system in the Wood River Valley. For more information, visit www.localfoodalliance.org.