I care deeply about how individuals and communities interact with, use, and have relationships with the natural world. As our society becomes more and more disconnected with our roots in the earth, it is so imperative that we rekindle the sense of connectedness that once permeated human society. I believe that the two most tangible and accessible ways for that to happen are through our interactions with animals and food. As Frances Moore Lappé said, “The act of putting into your mouth what the earth has grown is perhaps your most direct interaction with the earth.” Education is at the root of renewing this connection.

As an alumni of the IslandWood graduate certification program in Education for the Environment and Community and a current Masters in Education candidate at UW, I am constantly striving to make everything I do come back to what I believe is so important for the future of our society: connecting with the natural world. I am currently interning at the UW Farm and working closely with Amy Hughes, the Education Outreach Coordinator, to develop curriculum for education programs here.

In order for students to care about sustainable agriculture and the effects of food systems on our earth’s health and our human health, they must first understand and gain the basic knowledge about what farming is and where our food comes from. As part of my project at the Farm, I have created a framework for farm tours that is as follows:

1. Introduce students to the farm and engage all of their senses with exploring (and eating) their way through the farm.

2. Delve into a scientific process to better understand environmental science concepts at play in agriculture.

3. Discuss sustainability and have a role in continuing the sustainability at the farm through a service project.

4. Conclude with a project in which students learn how they can be stewards of their human communities, natural communities, and be advocates of sustainable agriculture.

In order to help this program be as self-sufficient and sustainable as possible, I recognize that many different people will have different interests and comfort levels with different subjects and activities. As a result, for each of those four topics, I am writing lesson plans for a number of different activities that can be used interchangeably by volunteer educators and selected from by teachers based on interests and need.

The opportunities for education programs at the UW Farm are expansive and tremendously exciting, and I feel very lucky to be able to use my skills and experiences to have a role in getting these programs growing deep roots.

For more information or to get involved in these programs at the UW Farm, contact  Amy Hughes at ash7@uw.edu.