- Author: Susana C. Bruzzone-Miller
Twenty 7th and 8th graders from Balboa Middle School are enrolled in the 17-week after-school program. Activities are led by Food Corps member, Chris Massa, currently serving with Ventura Unified where he supports the Farm to School work.
The experiential learning format of the student farm consists of a short lecture followed by hands-on practice. Weekly topics include Ventura County agriculture, food safety, soils, irrigation, plant biology, integrated pest management, seeds, sustainable food systems, nutrition and cooking. Students participate in monthly field trips to local farms and Ag related businesses to gain a better understanding of agriculture and career opportunities. Produce grown on the student farm will be sold back to Balboa's cafeteria to be used in the salad bar. Some will be donated to Food Share, a local food bank. Any subsequent profit will be used to support the program.
The students participated in all aspects of the farm from laying down irrigation to weeding the rows. Some of the January plantings are ready and the students proudly harvested and delivered 60 pounds of radishes and 7 pounds of cilantro to the school cafeteria. Ten pounds of radishes were harvested and donated to Food Share. This week student will continue harvesting spinach and cilantro.
- Author: Susana C. Bruzzone-Miller
Last week's much needed rain helped our field trip garden and rye maze double in size...just in time for today's spring education and outreach season kickoff. The garden isn't the only thing that's growing. Our education volunteer pool has also grown. Winter volunteer recruitment was very successful. We welcome six amazing new volunteers that have now completed the application, orientation and training process. They are ready to start working with students and we are excited to have them on board.
Dr. Roslynn Brain, Assistant Professor and Sustainable Communities Extension Specialist from Utah State University will be at the Center March 17-19. She will conduct a 3 day train the trainer workshop for her sustainability youth camp called Sustainable You.The program is geared grades 4-6. Our new intern, Chris Massa, will deliver the week-long camp at the Center summer 2014. The training is open to RECs, 4H and community partners. Contact sbmiller@ucanr.edu to attend.
Preparations are under way for May 8th UCCE-Ventura County: A Celebration of Science and Service. Self-guided activities...preschool to adult will be available throughout the day at HAREC. All participants will also be encouraged to participate in a state-wide research opportunity to collect data using the computer application developed by the Centennial committee. The central themes will be water, food, and pollinators. More details to follow, stay tuned.