Community Corner
Instilling in Kids a Deep Respect of the Earth
Grant Park Cooperative Preschool had sheep on campus last week as part of a Farm-to-School learning initiative.
GRANT PARK — Ellie Martin, coordinator for the volunteer group, Atlanta Farm-to-School, has been introducing farm-to-preschool concepts at the Grant Park Cooperative Preschool where she is on staff.
Martin is the school’s naturalist, a new position created by GPCP last year. She has worked with the children to renovate the school garden, which is located across the street in the Garcia family’s background.
When the question of how to get rid of overgrowth came up, Martin looked no further than Ewe-niversally Green, a company that offers “sheep for hire” for natural land management. Paid for by donations from GPCP families, a $600 fee covered the rental of a team of sheep for four days, a portable, in-ground fence to keep them contained to specific areas and ample opportunities for the children to meet the sheep. Brian Cash, the sheep owner, spent time with the children, spoke with them about environmental practices for clearing invasive plants.
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“We believe that this will help instill in the children a deep respect for the earth, the animals and the interdependence of all living things,” Martin said.
Martin also brought her own chickens to the opposite side of the yard during the four days to eat and turn up the invasive monkey grass.
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With many families that are involved with the farm-to-school movement, GPCP is well on its way to being a model farm-to-preschool organization. In addition to the intense gardening education, the school will experiment with a warm meal program in the fall in which students will learn to cook locally purchased produce and share a warm meal for lunch.
“Starting with our wee little ones is the most organic way to truly incorporate a farm-to-school way of thinking in our community,” said Leslie Grant, alumni representative on the school’s board of directors and founding member of Atlanta Farm-to-School.
“What we are doing here is fun, educational and healthy.”
Ms. Wallace, an advocate of the Farm-to-School movement, is a parent and active Grant Park resident.