EAST HAMPTON, Conn. — You may have heard of farm-to-table, but what about farm-to-school? It’s a concept they’re just starting at Memorial School in East Hampton.
Their new garden allows the school to incorporate it into its curriculum. Each class from each grade gets time outside during the growing season.
“If you ask a kid today where a tomato comes from, they will tell you it comes from a grocery store. Kids are not connected to where their food comes from anymore," said Jennifer Bove, Director of Food and Nutrition Services for East Hampton Schools.
They're also finding the students are more likely to try vegetables they've worked on themselves.
"It’s exciting, not every family has a garden at home. So it gives them a hands-on approach to learning about different vegetables," said Stacey Gibson, a preschool teacher at Memorial School and the Garden Curriculum Coordinator.
It's a concept that's only beginning.
“It can be interwoven into everything, and it gets them out of the classroom, into nature, connected with nature, it’s just a win-win across the board," Bove said.
Bove said they hope to build a garden at all schools within the district. They're also planning to invite local farmers to the school to interact with the kids, show them what they do every day, and learn about what the students are doing.
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Julia LeBlanc is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jleblanc@fox61.com Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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