Thursday, July 12, 2012

Week 2 Day 4: Trip to Added Value Farms, Red Hook, Brooklyn

When we asked our students what they think of when they hear the word farm. They conceive big open fields in the countryside surrounded by green fields. When we brought them to Added Value farms today, not only did they learn that local, seasonal and organic foods are very close to home but also it is possible to grow crops on a concrete foundation. Added Value is a non-profit organization that operates a farm in an old baseball field. They invite members of the community to their farm to turn their organic wastes into compost and at the same time, purchase some organic fruits and vegetables for dinner. 

(left to right) Giovanni, Sophia and Vicente pulling out weeds from the farm

Growing crops on top of concrete in an old baseball field is adding value to the crops this community eats. 
Later on in the day, the farmers invited us to help them pull out weed from one of their fields. Although it was hard work, many of the students I talked to had a better appreciation for the hard work our farmers do. This trip gave students and instructors a rare opportunity to learn about farming. In addition, it also helped reinforce a lot of the content we learned this week; companion planting, irrigation, seasonal foods, water supply systems, etc. Thank you Added Value! 

No comments:

Post a Comment