“The spearmint needs to be weighed. The kale needs to be weighed,” said Sheryl Meirerotto, who teaches the eighth-grade class from Effie Kokrine that was busy digging, plucking and weighing vegetables.
The class will prepare a portion of the produce for a potlatch dinner during the Alaska Federation of Natives Convention in October.
The garden, which has existed for many years and has been managed by the University of Alaska Fairbanks for the last two years, demonstrates how much can be grown in the Interior.
“The purpose of the garden is to represent the crops grown in the Tanana Valley. People don’t know we can grow things like corn,” said Jeff Werner, a UAF researcher and Alaska Future Farmers of America adviser.
The garden includes other surprises like honeydew, pumpkins, sunflowers and green beans.
Effie Kokrine, which recently opened a chapter of FFA, volunteered to harvest the garden as a means to learn about horticulture and to contribute to both the agricultural organization and the AFN convention.
Working in the garden gives students a chance to build leadership skills and get their hands dirty, Meirerotto said.
“No. 1 is knowing where their food comes from,” she said.
Gus Chapin, 13, has no problem making that connection.
“My favorite part is eating what I plant,” he said, after uprooting a bunch of red and purple potatoes. “We should make potato salad.”
Brittany Woods, 13, said she hopes to make tea from the many mint leaves. She has experience in the garden, as her family grows things like carrots, zucchini and pumpkins in Rampart, a small village in the Yukon-Koyukuk.
“We have wild rhubarb and cake,” she said.
Caleb Roberts, 13, enjoyed learning about plants during the harvest, he said.
“Orange mint is small. Peppermint has purple flowers, spearmint has light flowers,” he said.
The students were good gardeners, according to Werner.
“They just jump in and do it,” he said, before leading the group to the university garden to harvest cabbage.
An Effie Kokrine class also volunteered at the potlatch in 2007, the last year Fairbanks hosted the convention, and fed several hundred guests.
The menu is not yet set for the dinner.
“We’re also applying for a moose permit so we’ll have meat,” Meirerotto said.
Contact staff writer Molly Rettig at 459-7590.
I do believe your wrong about our children learning anything from harvesting fruits and vegetables they are learning Math and Science from this. Now a days children learning better with hands on learning. I congratulate the staff and students at Effie Kochrine for what has been learned and they will use some of these produce to make a meal that right there is teaching these students valueable life skills something every student should learn.
Good job, Effie Kochrine, and kudos to all who help our children gain this incredibly valuable knowledge and experience.
Not to say those subjects aren't important, but everyone eats everyday, and learning hands on about nutrition should be basic core classes as well. Besides, in Alaska, we have a short enough growing season, and sorry if the harvest of some vegetables are during the school year. Good learning resource. As far as I know, it is relatively difficult to make a carrot or potato mature enough to harvest during the schools off-season.
The kids are learning plenty, and most will retain the information and many will end up gardening in the future. In addition to having a great time, before the winter strikes.
Props to the teachers and schools who provide the experience to many children who otherwise would have never gotten the experience of gardening, and the pride in the harvest. Also thanks to Calypso Farms and any other local organizations who help spread this timeless knowledge in our community.
Don't you remember when you were in school asking "Why do we have to learn this?"? Well, applied learning supplies the WHY as well as the WHAT.
And my thanks goes to all the great teachers who regularly use this type of learning -- because I know it ensures that students will remember and use what they've learned!
I even had 5 tomatoes.
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