All understanding begins in wonder. - Goethe
Education
The Farm is available to the public throughout the year for tours, classes and demonstrations. The Foundation and Farm are involved in a variety of outreach and educational programs. New programs are being developed on a regular basis. Some educational activities currently in place and/or being planned for Tierra Miguel Foundation's future include: The Foundation plans on expanding internships with opportunities for farmers and students of agronomy and agriculture from involved colleges to work on the Farm and study organic and biodynamic farming methods under the direction of the Farm management team.
Click here to see a summary of Tierra Miguel's Educational Programs
Our first internship program began in the Spring of 2001 with five interns from the Multinational Exchange for Sustainable Agriculture (MESA) program. In November 2001, we graduated this first class of graduate students from four countries with the highest of praise from the program participants and a superior endorsement by MESA. For March through October 2002, the Farm provided internships for two MESA interns, and again in November 2002, we received two more interns. The goal is for the interns to return to their various countries to teach these important sustainable practices and spread the benefits of their education to their own communities. TMF intends to continue and expand its highly successful work with interns for varying stays. Our first domestic intern (from Minnesota) recently completed his Farm stay. Special funding for the intern programs is continuously being sought including identified grants to cover intern stipends during their stays.
Site visits and field trip opportunities are made available and arranged for school classes from kindergarten through high school, agronomy students from area colleges and visitors from many countries and agencies. Site visits began in the summer of 2000 with classes from area elementary schools, colleges, and day programs for adults with developmental disabilities. To date we can report that we have had more than 30 visits by area schools. In addition, many community organizations, 4-H Clubs, and gardening clubs visited over the last year. The Farm has received farmers and representatives from educational institutions from Scotland, France, the Philippines, China and Thailand for informational exchanges. The Farm has been toured by the Southern California gardening teachers' association and is on the docket for the USDA Risk Management Conference attendees in October 2003.
As part of Tierra Miguel Foundation's ongoing educational and outreach programs with the Indian Health Council, Inc. (IHC), a weekly after-school Down on the Farm program has been established for at-risk Indian youth. Funded by grants from the California Adolescent Nutrition and Fitness Program (CANFit) and IHC, key elements of the Down on the Farm program are building gardening know-how, education about nutrition and health, and seasonal cycles and farm activities. Classes are developing a demonstration garden from scratch. The children are involved in all aspects of growing and, of course, then enjoying the fruits of their labor! The youngsters get practical food preparation training as well. Some 60 children have participated in the program over the last nine months. Grants were just renewed May 2003.
Another IHC program, funded by USDA's Nutrition Network, is a weekly cooking and sampling program for each of the classes at the All Tribes Indian Charter School. Food, recipes, nutrition information and farm visits are provided by Tierra Miguel Farm produce and staff through the grant. This program reaches 15-20 students per class weekly. Seasonal visits to the Farm introduce the different vegetable "gifts" grown during each season. A continuing effort is made by Tierra Miguel Foundation and the IHC to influence the local reservation populations to explore new and healthier foods. Regular distribution of TMF organic produce is offered to diabetic, hypertensive and obese patients attending the Clinic treatment sessions. Gardening efforts by TMF are being introduced at the Rincon Community Garden to involve all of the nearby eight Native American tribes. New to the IHC/TMF collaborative picture is the introduction of youngsters to the Farm who have been referred for drug prevention education. The group will also be involved with the Down on the Farm program with the focus on developing responsibility and initiative. This program is being funded by the IHC and health insurers' organizations.
During 2003, TMF provided over 1000 specially prepared CSA Fresh from the Farm boxes to classrooms in the Los Angeles Unified School District under the auspices of the USDA-funded Nutrition Network program. Teachers used the boxes and a TMF- prepared newsletter to teach about farm life, nutrition and fitness, new and healthy eating choices. The program was a rousing success with 98% of the participating teachers reporting a desire to see it repeated. It is expected that the program will double its participation in 2004. A similar program is being developed with San Diego schools for the coming year.
The Farm is a resource for biodynamic farmers throughout the world. In discussions with the Biodynamic Association, plans have been proposed to create a Western Biodynamic Teaching Center at the Farm with classrooms and laboratory. Activities are expected to commence in Spring 2004. Monthly Saturday volunteer education days involve from five to more than fifty volunteers including community members, agricultural students, youth, elderly and developmentally disabled adults. Attendees eagerly participate in seeding, planting, harvesting and other similar tasks set out for the day. Organic gardening classes are calendared to begin this year. All education programs are funded in cooperation with educational institutions or through grants from community, government agencies, foundations or private donors. Part of the MESA internship program is a direct farm cost and is funded by the farm and/or from grants from foundations and private donors.