Jamestown Public Market Director Linnea Haskins and Market Community Coordinator Hanna Bavuso present to Jamestown School Board (October 25, 2022)
The Jamestown Public Market has received a $50,000 from the USDA to bring edible gardens to Washington Middle and Bush Elementary Schools.
Public Market Community Coordinator Hannah Bavuso, speaking to the Jamestown School Board, said bringing edible gardens to the schools is a new initiative, “The idea of these edible school gardens is to really engage students in learning about where their food comes from. So taking it from, ‘This is something good to eat. This is not good for you to eat,’ and really showing individuals about what that means. And then empowering them to learn how to do it on their own.”
Bavuso said they will be helping Washington Middle School revitalize their garden and using funds to put tower gardens in at Bush Elementary.
She said the public market had worked with the Summer LEAP program at Fletcher and Bush schools this past summer, working with 165 students, “And really talked about where their food comes from and got them engaged with planting seeds, and we created business plans around food. It was really fun to watch them get inspired and learn about this really important aspect of not just how to nourish our bodies but actually how to grow the things that do nourish their bodies.”
Market Director Linnea Haskins said the program is not only a way to help make Jamestown a healthier community, but it’s also a way to inspire kids to get involved in local agriculture and the local economy.
What a fabulous initiative!! Local food and empowered growers. New respect for farmers and raising a generation of informed young folks will grow healthier communities one child at a time. Well done Hannah and Linnea! I know how passionate you are about food Justice. ❣️