Seedlings are Planted for Upcoming School Menu Items!

As spring seems to be peeking through the cloudiness of April, Rooted has begun preparing for Wisconsin’s growing season. By the end of the school year, Erica Krug and Catherine Masters, who both work for Rooted, hope to have home-grown lettuce to add to a salad mix for MMSD students to eat at lunch at the end of the school year.

Erica Krug has worked at Rooted for about three years. She’s the Director of Youth Garden Support and oversees the general operations of the program. Krug also works closely with AmeriCorps Farm to School Specialists. 

Catherine Masters has been with Rooted for two years as an AmeriCorps Farm to School Specialist. She has worked tirelessly to partner with MMSD to expand the opportunities for students to become involved in the gardening process. She focuses on teaching students about gardening and nutrition.

This year Rooted decided to pilot a lettuce/greens project. As mentioned before, the goal of this project is to incorporate locally grown lettuce into a salad mix for students to enjoy at the end of the school year for lunch. MMSD has been working to implement more locally grown foods into their meals - however this project has a twist. Second and third grade students helped plant lettuce seeds at Schenk and Mendota Elementary Schools (respectively). The seedlings are being grown in the elementary schools and will be transplanted to Goodman Youth Farm and Grow Academy in the coming weeks. Once the lettuce is ready to harvest, it will go back to the school district to be prepared for students to eat.

Masters is excited about this project because of the educational outcomes it has for students. She said this project is “a really good way to get kids excited about eating healthy” because they helped grow the food. Masters explains that when students get to participate in the hands-on learning and planting of food, they are more likely to try the vegetables they produce. She says the more involved students are in the process, the more excited they are about the outcome. This can lead to kids learning about healthy eating habits, food systems, cooking skills, and how to take care of the earth.

Krug agreed with Masters and added how meaningful the learning is for students in the gardens. As a former MMSD elementary teacher, Krug said the outdoor, hands-on garden education “makes the learning so much richer.” Although students learn a lot in the classroom, Krug thinks it's just as important to have learning experiences outside the classroom.

Josh Perkins, Director of Food and Nutrition at MMSD conducted the first garden safety training with Brian and the crew at Goodman on April 13th. He used the experience and knowledge he gained from the USDA 'Produce Safety University' course he attended in Davis, CA, in March. Josh was impressed with the Goodman crew because of their “engagement and confidence.” Brian will then train the GROW Academy staff in like fashion.

As MMSD students get excited to try the lettuce this spring, they can also look forward to having more salad in the fall when they return to school. Rooted plans to plant another crop of lettuce over the summer so kids get fresh greens as summer break ends. This summer, Rooted also plans to grow basil for MMSD to use on pizza and in pasta sauce next school year.

On May 18th, Wisconsin will celebrate School Garden Day. Some MMSD students will be taking a field trip to the Goodman Youth Farm for a hands-on experience to learn about gardens and the work Rooted is doing. 

Mark your calendars for School Garden Day and find a way to celebrate with your student. Eat some fresh veggies, plant some seeds in a pot, or get ready to plant your own garden this summer!