Learning in the Garden about Plants & You

By:

Outdoor Classroom

Hunger Task Force’s SNAP-Ed Nutrition Education Program provides a unique experience for students from urban Milwaukee Public Schools to let their creativity – and feet – run wild.  This past summer, 619 elementary school students visited our Farm & Fish Hatchery.  The majority of each class was spent outside planting, picking, cooking and tasting produce in our 28-bed garden.  100-year-old Swamp White Oak trees provided a shaded picnic area to catch a break from the sun and have
group nutrition lessons.

Throughout the growing season, students learned each step involved with gardening and together were able to harvest over 60 different types of fruits and vegetables.  The produce, delicious and full of nutrients, was cooked, and eaten by the students
themselves.  Additional produce was delivered to elderly low-income individuals enrolled in the Commodity Supplemental Food Program.

For many students, this was their first time on a farm to learn about nutrition, farming, and nature. Next year, HTF Farm &
Fish Hatchery will be installing exercise stations, a perennial flower garden, and an outdoor pavilion to further expand an environment which promotes wellness and learning!