The fall of 2014 was the inaugural year of the Redwood High School’s Sustainable Agriculture program which was a dream of AP Environmental Science teacher, Mr. Stewart. I could tell the first week of school that this was going to be a class that was unlike any other class I had taken before. We were so excited as students to have this opportunity that we all knew was unique and rare. The first days of school we were presented with the basis of what we would be learning throughout the year focusing on the staples of sustainability and sustainable agriculture. Throughout the year, we learned many useful skills and concepts, including how to create a sustainable farm, finding where our food comes from, companions to balance the ecosystem, and sustainable business and design. With all of these skills combined, we were able to use them to create and present our final projects at the end of the spring semester.
One of the first items of business we did in Sustainable Agriculture was to create our student beds that we would be working in with our classmates in small groups of two to four throughout the year. To create these beds we used sheet mulching which involves using layers of cardboard and manure to build new soil. At first, we were a little skeptical when laying down cardboard and manure with Mr. Stewart saying that this would create new and healthy soil, but as the year progressed, we were shocked when the cardboard was gone and our soil was healthy and chemically balanced. We were also all given monthly management jobs which gave everyone an equal role in the farm’s daily care. The farm allowed us to sell our produce at Market Days which occured once every month where we saw community business and sustainability come together. Through the passing lessons, every week we were able to be hands on in the farm, allowing us to develop our skills and apply what we were learning directly.
Our next unit was focused on food and where it comes from. We were able to do this through readings like The Omnivore’s Dilemma and The Food Miles Project and hands on activities as well. In the Omnivore’s Dilemna, we learned about the complications of the American food system and the problems that come along with it. For example, the author, Michael Pollan, describes how American people are becoming out of touch with their food. He described how in previous years you would find potatoes with deformities in the supermarket but today, you find perfectly shaped and spotless potatoes. He also outlined the crop that America survives on (corn) and how it is used from everything from coffee sweetner to hot sauces. We are very dependent on corn to feed America yet it is one of the most impactful crops in the agriculture industry, due to the current growing methods of mass produced corn. During one of my favorite activites of the year, we had an Iron Chef style competition with a weekly guest to our farm named John, who worked for Global Student Embassy. We created flavorful and unique dishes that were sustainable between the groups in the class and were judged on taste, appearance, and how locally sourced our ingredients s were. I learned so much throughout the Iron Chef competition and still apply my learnings when I cook today.
Later in the year, Mr. Stewart told us that we had purchased a hoop house also known as a greenhouse for our farm. We were all very excited since this meant that we could plant a greater variety of plants who need controlled environments when germinating. The hoop house involved many student management groups and allowed multiple sets of students to learn building skills. Once the hoop house was in place and in its final location on the farm, we did the same thing that we did at the beginning of the school year -- we sheet mulched a few beds under the hoop house where we could grow certain varieties of plants. Students also worked on improvements to the hoop house for their final project, to make it even better.
Throughout the year, when guests or presenters would come to our class and present problems or ideas, Mr. Stewart would always suggest the topics as an area of interest for a final project that would tie in everything we had learned throughout the year. With the last months of school approaching, we began to think more in detail about what we wanted to do for our own projects. Some students knew exactly what they were going to do, while others were unsure. Personally, I saw a problem with our Market Days, specifically how we were using portable tables and carrying the produce by hand to the front of the school where we sold everything. I decided to build a moilbe be market table/cart where it would both be used for selling produce along with transporting the produce that we grew from our farm to the front of the school. It was very interesting to see how every student’s final project and what they saw as a challenge or improvement, and collectively we were able to improve the whole farm.
The first year of Redwood High School’s Sustainable Agriculture program was an eye-opening and unique experience that I will remember for the rest of my life and will use the concepts and lessons taught every day. Mr. Stewart was able to bring in outside sources for different viewpoints and opinions on a variety of subjects, all pertaining to the main topic of sustainability and sustainable farming. If given the chance, every Redwood student who cares about their future on this Earth should take this class.
Have A Great Summer!
Miles Daly
