Kids’ Ideas on Food and Bolivia’s Law

My sons planted our veggie garden last week on Earth Day. They enjoyed every dirty minute of it which was beautiful to see.

Then this weekend I had an experience which showed me just how confused kids can be on food and where it comes from. I was putting an ice tray with fresh water back in the freezer when my youngest came over for some ice. I told him to get a different tray because the one I had in my hands was just water and needed to freeze. His face brightened with amazement as he said, “Oh! That’s great! You can make your own ice!” I asked him where he had thought the ice in our trays came from and he said, “I thought you bought them.” Aha.

In other news, and it turns out this is old news from 2010 but I just now heard about it; Bolivia passed a law ensuring the Earth has rights, and declaring it a living system. Brilliant, right?! It seems like a no-brainer and yet it is considered the first such law. The law also states that the earth is of ‘public interest’ and has individual rights as a living system which are to be defended by human representatives. Congratulations to Bolivia for their bold and forward-thinking move. I do hope other countries are following their example.

February Garden Planning

It seems like everyone is ready to start thinking about Springtime! Here’s a great way to spend some cold hours while February works it’s thawing magic at least in some parts of the country. Here in the Pacific Northwest February is when crocuses start popping their uninvited but much appreciated heads up from their deep sleep. This is always the first sign up life in my yard, and I treasure each perfect purple blossom. Check out the Edible Schoolyard’s Edible Education 101 lecture series. There are different lectures each week so you can choose which interest you. I’m looking forward to sharing bits and pieces of Michael Pollan’s video which can be accessed still on their website.

School Garden Helpers

Since I’m working at starting an edible garden at my sons’ school, I’ve been doing some research and have unearthed some fabulous finds to share. One great find: there is an organization called Farmer Frog that will help with any aspect of the process. This is so needed and I’m so impressed there are people dedicating their lives to making school gardens possible. Take a look around their website to see all that they do and why. A good place to start is their Goals page. I’ve also contacted several local schools with gardens to inquire about their process and ask advice and what has become exceedingly clear is that these people are dedicated! I got long emails back, answering every question I asked and many I hadn’t thought to ask. If anyone out there is thinking they would love their school to have a garden but don’t know where to begin, I highly recommend reaching out to nearby schools because they can tell you what grows best, what the county/city can possibly provide, what local organizations are out there that can help, plus a whole lot more. That is how I found Farmer Frog. One of the garden coordinators linked them into our email conversation because they are a part of their school garden story. You can find schools near you by going to The Edible Schoolyard Project’s website and looking around your zip code. January is the perfect time to be planning for spring…inside. On a computer. Brr.

 

 

Articles for the End of the Year

 

If you find yourself with some down time this holiday season, here are a few articles that the Knight Owl would like to share.

First, a children’s book list for “future foodies”: http://foodtank.com/news/2013/12/fifteen-books-for-future-foodies These are great picture books about real food, school gardens, and farming.

Next, an article about how fast food is linked to poor academic performance: http://www.takepart.com/article/2014/12/21/fast-food-kids-learning.

And to end on an upbeat note: Good News for Mother Earth: Solar, Wind Power Becoming Cheaper Than Fossil Fuels | BillMoyers.com.

May your new year offer time for reflection and your best dreams realized. Happy Holidays.

Nutrition Education in Schools

Photo by Lani Vanderlip

How about some good news today…? There is a program that will teach 4th and 5th graders about nutrition in their very own classrooms, and it is free. This discovery made my day and I immediately sent it to the school principal at my sons’ school so I hope to be able to write up a review all about it soon. If you are in the Seattle area and want someone to come to your school to teach kids about food, reading food labels, and to make vegetarian chili with them in their classroom (and who doesn’t?!) then check this out: Pure Foods Kids Foundation. Seriously, the fact this exists makes me warm and giddy inside.

Upcycled Clothing

It’s officially jacket weather. Not everyone is comfortable wearing leather, but this might make one feel a little less questionable about it. Seattle based Olga Road takes old leather coats and makes them into new styles. Take a look:

	There are more styles on their site: http://www.olgaroad.com/.

Gardens for Humanity

Relatives of mine just introduced me to this amazing project in which they are both involved called Gardens for Humanity. It is in Sedona, AZ, so if you are near there you should check it out because there are incredible ways to get involved, and if you aren’t near Sedona you should still check out what they are doing because it is inspiring. I am especially impressed with the way they incorporate local professional artists in their garden programs who work with students to do art inspired by the natural world. This paragraph from their website says it so well:

“This program is central to our mission and serves as a model for how we develop other educational programs tied to school gardens. We provide activities that connect children to the environment, to develop awareness of where food comes from, and to give children the tools to make healthier choices for themselves and the environment. Art, as the means of environmental and garden education, helps students develop greater self-expression, creativity, experimentation, problem solving, in addition to enhancing their emotional relationship, appreciation and sense of responsibility towards the natural world.” (From Gardens for Humanity’s website on the Celebrating the Art in Earth page.)

Imagine every student being exposed to this kind of thinking, acting, creating, and honoring~

Earth Friendly Fashion

It’s so inspiring to hear how other people are taking care of the earth~ especially when they do it with such beauty and style! Vancouver just had their Eco-Fashion week not too long ago and their website is still available to browse the designers’ goods.  Check it out here: http://ecofashion-week.com/

Another designer who has participated in Vancouver’s eco fashion week in the past is Kate Mensah, a woman who lives right here in Redmond though her roots run deep through other countries and continents. Her site is truly swoon-worthy: http://katesmensah.com/. The Knight Owl just might have to try on some new threads.