Description
The Sprouts to Snacks program is an incredibly important program that focuses on experiential “full circle” learning that encourages students to be actively involved with the growth and making of food, from seed to mouth. The program historically took place at Abbey Gardens, but in response to the new challenges that school boards are facing, including increased bus costs and COVID-19 related restrictions, we are redeveloping the program into one that will work both during the pandemic and afterward, incorporating a hybrid model that includes both virtual learning and a final field trip to Abbey Gardens.
The goal of the program is to work directly with educators in the school setting while utilizing the knowledge and resources we have on site here in our market vegetable garden, commercial kitchen, and social enterprise The Food Hub. While originally this program was developed for Haliburton County schools, with your support we can reimagine this program into one that stretches throughout Ontario, helping us spread awareness about the importance of local food!
Sprouts to Snacks engages students with the food process, through planting, nurturing, harvesting, preparing, and providing food back to schools and students. The program emphasizes the concept of how this knowledge can help students “give back” to the community through school food programs. It focuses on ecological connections related to healthy gardens, healthy foods, and healthy lifestyles, complementing the Science, Health & Physical Education curriculum, “Healthy Kids & Healthy Choices” and “Feed All Four” (body, mind, emotion, spirit) teaching philosophies. It will serve as an enrichment program the helps to develop healthy eating habits and an overall healthy lifestyle, while heightening the interest and responsibility of children in appreciating the natural environment’s role in growing healthy food.
The program will be delivered in Spring and Fall sessions, with each session involving four day programs, virtual tours, videos, etc. The target age is Grades 4-8. Your support will help us develop this “new” program and deliver it to school boards in our area and beyond!