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The Outreach Programs involve presentations in academic, corporate, agricultural, and community group settings. They promote conservation with a global perspective, encourage local action and introduce a variety of audiences to the concept of Community Supported Agriculture. They also advocate sustainable farming practices to people already involved in agriculture or contemplating involvement in agriculture. Staff, interns, and volunteers of Maysie's Farm have been involved in the production of a variety of newspaper articles, radio programs, and television stories.
New for 2010: Cooking Camp for Kids
Maysie's Farm Conservation Center — in connection with chef/educator Annmarie Cantrell — is excited to offer summer cooking camps for children ages 6 and up. These camps offer children the opportunity to understand where their food comes from, expand their taste buds and make proper choices when it comes to nourishing themselves. All camps will be run by Annmarie Cantrell of Cucina Verde, LLC.
During the weeklong hands on program each child will learn how food grows. They will be given the opportunity to seed, transplant, harvest and prepare healthy, seasonally inspired dishes.
Kitchen safety, cooking techniques, and introductions to international cuisines are all part of the curriculum. Each week’s curriculum is tailored to the ability of the different age groups.
Upon registration, parents will receive a form to fill out regarding any allergies, food restrictions or other needs. We are very willing to accommodate any requests or special needs.
Camp Schedule & Prices
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Family Dinner
On Saturday, July 24th, at 6 pm, the chefs of the three groups will reconvene and have the opportunity to prepare and serve a delicious locally sourced seasonal meal for their families! $20 per adult
To register for cooking camp, e-mail Annmarie at ambutera@cucina-verde.com, or call 610-458-8129.
About Annmarie Cantrell:
Annmarie Cantrell is a graduate of the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts in New York City.Ê Her work as a special education teacher has led her to pursue studies linking poor nutrition with developmental disabilities. She works educating families about proper nutrition for their young children and teaches parents how to implement dietary and lifestyle changes to deal with common childhood issues such as allergies and autism.
Annmarie runs workshops and classes for individuals and groups, where she provides information on how people can access real food. Cooking classes focus on simple preparation of seasonal foods and allow participants to gain the practical skills necessary to truly nourish themselves.Ê Classes for children focus on fostering early healthy eating habits while having fun in the kitchen.
About Cucina Verde:
Cucina Verde uses the wisdom of traditional cultures to create thoughtful nourishing meals. Many of the ingredients used in the food preparation are sourced from local farmers and artisanal food producers.
ÊWe support small, local family farms which grow vegetables in healthy soil and produce meats from animals raised on pasture.Ê These sustainable farming practices produce nutrient dense foods which are much higher in vitamins and minerals than modern processed foods. Cucina Verde is committed to working toward a local sustainable food system which allows communities and individuals to thrive.Ê
About Maysie’s Farm:
Maysie's Farm Conservation Center is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to improving public understanding of the importance of conservation and ecological thinking. At Maysie's Farm, we work with individuals, families, communities and educational institutions to encourage ecological living by demonstrating and advocating organic agriculture, farmland preservation and Community Supported Agriculture and by offering unique educational programs. Maysie's Farm is developing a community within Chester County that is based on a local, sustainably produced food supply and a commitment to ecological living.
Farm and School Partnership
School Garden Project Grant Awarded — Project to Start in Fall 2006
Since last spring Maysie's Farm Conservation Center has provided locally grown lettuce, spinach, salad greens, carrots and more to the Montgomery School lunch program. Both students and staff enjoy the taste of these delicious, nutritious, just-harvested vegetables. This farm-fresh food is the product of the first step in forming the Farm and School Partnership between Maysie's Farm and the Montgomery School in support of the School's strategic goal relating to nutrition.
 Montgomery School: Fourth grade students working with a Maysie's Farm teacher prepare to transplant spinach which will be served to them this winter in their school dining room. |
The school garden project began early in the 2006-2007 school year with the recruitment of a variety of individuals including students, parents and staff who established a committee to take the lead in this project. Maysie's Farm staff arranged visits to gardens at other local schools with which they have been involved, and introduced the committee members to their peers at those schools. In the fall of 2006, the garden was established, consisting of nine raised beds filled with compost and planted in a winter cover crop. Teachers and students are looking forward to their first season of gardening!
By incorporating the garden into existing curricula, students and teachers will be engaged in researching appropriate crops and production techniques. Initially, Maysie's Farm will help supervise the growing process and facilitate the learning process, but ultimately the school garden will effectively integrate the topics of agriculture and nutrition into the daily routine at school, and the school community will thoroughly "own" the concept of a garden that is both a teaching tool and a food producing site.
Links
The Outreach program is facilitated in connection with many local and national organizations, including the following:
The Community Food Security Coalition is a non-profit North American organization dedicated to building strong, sustainable, local and regional food systems that ensure access to affordable, nutritious, and culturally appropriate food for all people at all times. They seek to develop self-reliance among all communities in obtaining their food and to create a system of growing, manufacturing, processing, making available, and selling food that is regionally based and grounded in the principles of justice, democracy, and sustainability.
The Food Trust's mission is to ensure that everyone has access to affordable, nutritious food. Founded in 1992, the Trust works to improve the health of children and adults, promote good nutrition, increase access to nutritious foods, and advocate for better public policy.
The White Dog Cafe Foundation envisions a Local Living Economy in the Greater Philadelphia Region — one that brings broad-based economic empowerment, environmental stewardship and vibrant, unique character to our communities through local business ownership. Their mission is to create, strengthen and connect locally owned businesses and farms committed to working in harmony with natural systems, providing meaningful living wage jobs, and supporting healthy community life.
The Integrated Farming Systems Initiative is one of five initiatives of the Foundation's Food Systems and Rural Development (FS/RD) program. IFS funds collaborative efforts among farmers and ranchers, communities, universities, environmental groups, food retailers, and researchers who advance the use of farming methods that assure long-term sustainability of our natural resources, food systems and rural communities; and who advance policy-changes and market-changes to reach sustainable goals.
Food and Society(FAS) is a Food Systems and Rural Development initiative of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. The FAS Initiative is based on a vision of a future food system that provides for all segments of society a safe and nutritious food supply grown in a manner that protects health and the environment and adds economic and social value to rural and urban communities. The purpose of the FAS Initiative is to support the creation and expansion of community-based food systems that are locally owned and controlled, environmentally sound and health-promoting.
Farm to School programs are popping up all over the U.S. These programs connect schools with local farms with the objectives of serving healthy meals in school cafeterias, improving student nutrition, providing health and nutrition education opportunities that will last a lifetime, and supporting local small farmers.
Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture
P.O. Box 419
Millheim, PA 16854
phone: (814) 349-9856
e-mail: info@pasafarming.org
website: http://www.pasafarming.org
Publishes PASA Passages newsletter. Sponsors February "Farming for the Future" conference.
Robyn Van En Center for Community Supported Agriculture Resources
Wilson College
Fulton Center for Sustainable Living
1015 Philadelphia Ave
Chambersburg PA 17201
phone: (717) 264-4141, ext. 3352
fax: (717) 264-1578
e-mail: info@csacenter.org
website: http://www.csacenter.org
Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association
Building 1002B, Thoreau Center, The Presidio
P.O. Box 29135
San Francisco, CA 94129-0135
phone: (888) 516-7797
fax: (415) 561-7796
e-mail: biodynamic@aol.com
website: http://www.biodynamics.com
The USDA's database of Community Supported Agriculture farms
National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture
P.O. Box 396
Pine Bush, NY 12566
phone: (845) 744-8448
fax: (845) 744-8477
e-mail: campaign@sustainableagriculture.net
website: http://www.sustainableagriculture.net