Taking Advantage of Fertile Minds

Submitted May 25th, 2005

HOLYOKE - Youth leaders from Nuestras Raices have been working in the
organization's gardens for years and for the past three years they have
been taking their skills to Williamsburg to teach kindergartners there
about gardening.

This partnership with the Helen James School in Williamsburg was organized through a program run by Fertile Ground.

"After three seasons of gardening, the Williamsburg kids know a lot
- about where their food comes from, how to grow a plant from a seed,
how to harvest and cook simple vegetable dishes, how their urban
Holyoke neighbors garden," said Catherine Sands, director of Fertile
Ground.

With an emphasis on linking rural and urban communities, Fertile
Ground is a collaborative educational and cultural exchange program
that promotes the teaching of gardening in schools.

"This collaboration with Fertile Ground allows our youth leaders to
continue to grow as teachers, spreading the benefits of gardening to
young children in the region," said Julia Rivera, the president of
Nuestras Raices board of directors.

"It builds the leadership of these Latino teenagers in the food security movement of the region and country," Rivera said.

As part of this year's program, the Nuestras Raices youth leaders
will help the Williamsburg children install an irrigation system at the
James School.

"I think kids should know what they are eating and where it comes
from and about health food," said youth leader Christian Nieves.

"It's fun working with those kids. It's like we learn together," Nieves said.

Sands said the work Nieves and the other youth leaders put in is very appreciated.

"The Nuestras Raices teens have given them a huge gift of this
garden. The combination of games the teens lead and gardening together
make work fun and a creative learning experience," Sands said.

Helen James Principal Fred Venne said the irrigation system will
improve the garden at his school and the whole involvement of Nuestras
Raices is an educational advantage.

"Readily available water at the garden will afford our school the
opportunity to run a more efficient school garden program that benefits
the community by its beauty and abundance. Together with our teachers,
Fertile Ground is building garden curriculum that not only meets, but
enhances, science, math, language and community service frameworks,"
Venne said.

Kindergarten teacher Sherrie Marti has even noticed a healthy bonus.

"One happy side effect of the garden is our children's willingness
to try and enjoy fresh vegetables and fruit because they have grown
them," she said.