Report from the first farm trip!

We've just spent a whirlwind 48 hours with the first year Root Down students and they are INSPIRING!

It started in South Los Angeles at Manual Arts High School yesterday when we got to take some precious class time to meet the kids who will be coming to McGrath Family Farms this year.  As well, we began to cull out a smaller group of students who will work as our Youth Leaders.

Twice during the day, Megan dragged into the classroom, her ridiculously goofy giant hand drawn mural depicting the food system changes in our country - the transition from whole foods to processed foods.  The students were suspiciously kind, not making fun (at all?) of her stick chickens and cows.

These 10th graders were excited about the prospect of heading to a farm AND they agreed to come wearing ugly shoes and toting their own fork and spoon for lunch.  These kids are savvy.  When asked to tell a story from the stick chicken mural, the students threw out lots of terms they'd been exposed to - factory farms, hormones, organic, healthy.  Those word were all on their radar screens yet they had a lot of questions about what those things meant.  We'll work on figuring that out this year.

The depth of the conversations that unfolded, in the classroom and during lunchtime and after school meetings with potential Youth Leaders, was unbelievable.  One student had built a cottage industry pomegranite business before she moved to South LA.  A flurry of ideas for other food businesses ensued.  Several students bragged they are the primary cooks in their families. One student felt compelled to tell us that he has been eating pretty much JUST cereal all his life; he's nervous because several people in his family have diabetes.   He's coming back next month for a private lesson on making even the most seemingly hideous vegetables palatable.

Today, when the bus pulled up to McGrath Family Farms and the kids poured out, we were uncertain how they would react to the scene.  Ducks waddling about, the hot sun blaring down, farm workers washing giant bins of greens and piling pumpkins for the roadside stand sales.  The kids didn't skip a beat.  They easily took up tasks moving pumpkins, picking red, purple and green tomatoes and multi-colored beans.  Four students collaborated to cook an incredible lunch - a giant pot of chili and gorgeous salad of beets, greens, carrots - all from the farm.

At the end of the day, Katy shared with us what she'd overheard one student say as he sat with his plate of food, watching his friend pick up a baby bunny, "This is GREAT."  Simple as that.  This was their school day.  And it was great.  For the students, the teachers, the farm staff, and for us.  Thanks to all of you, for helping us get this off the ground.

We'll end with a wonderful string of thoughts and impressions Judy McGrath, (Farmer Phil's sister) wrote to us after our visit today.  She's in one of the pictures, with a bunny and Phil.

"Thoughts about today's farm tour...  Incredible enthusiasm and motivation.  Lots of willingness to return to the farm.  I witnessed gentleness in handling a baby bunny, encouragement from peers to LISTEN to their peer group speaker.  Nutrition and diabetes were discussed among a group of students, as were store bought healthy foods, and "hard work" in relation to a student telling me she had picked beans.  Students asked if there was a compost area and were courteous with clean up.  The overall feeling was positive vibration with everyone."  - J McGrath.

Root Down is Officially Official!

We got the call this week! The board of Community Partners has officially granted Root Down fiscal sponsorship beneath their umbrella non-profit organization. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

So now, Root Down benefits from Community Partner's incubator services, and YOU benefit from a tax write-off when you donate to Root Down!  We'll soon post a page, to let you know how exactly, we can best utilize your donations of time, equipment or materials.  For now, know that every penny you may choose to funnel our way, will go towards getting students to McGrath Family Farms on monthly trips this year.  Because, that's where good nutrition starts - with healthy farming!

If you are able and inclined to do so, you can donate to Root Down online (writing a check to "Commuity Partners FBO Root Down" is best - less fees are taken out) on Community Partners' website.  We would also welcome material donations now, of SHARP! 9" chef knives, 2-3 butane portable cook stoves, a heavy-bottomed stock pot or 2, plates, bowls, mugs and flatware (aka forks, spoons & knives!) for up to 40 people.  Or, you have some clever idea for a donation we may not have thought of here, feel free to run it by us.

We look forward, to providing reports from our in-school and on-farm nutrition and cooking lessons, starting next month!

"It was nasty, but I ate it 'cause I'm hungry."

This quote, from an article in the Washington Post that tells about city council woman, Jan Perry, pushing for a moratorium on new fast food establishments in South Los Angeles.  We've started creating our own Google map of South Central - marking the places where food can be purchased and exposing the DEARTH of healthy food spots in the neighborhood.  We hope to be able to share this piece soon!