Farm to Table - at Peace and Nature's Ozo Base

Last Thursday, February 13th, the Grade 1 and 2 classes went on a field trip to an actual field! To learn more about how food gets from the farm to our tables we took a hands-on approach to learning by visiting the NPO Peace and Nature's Ozo Base. We departed school just after 9am and arrived around 10am. After dropping us off, our bus got stuck in the mud! It wasn't the only one, as a number of students also got themselves stuck in the mud while playing in the ditches and puddles! Luckily, the other bus was able to tow our bus out, just as their classmates and teachers were able to pull the stuck students from the mud!

Bahram Enanloo and some of the other members of the Peace and Nature group were on hand to help us out, including former DSKI student Maciej's mother Beata Andryszko!

After getting some energy from their morning snacks, the students got to work as farmhands for the day. First, we took a short tour of the grounds, and had the chance to touch and smell some of the herbs in the Herb Garden! Some also enjoyed the chance encounter with some wildlife, such as frogs, worms, spiders and the ever so popular ladybugs!

The first job of the day was to help clear a fallow field of rocks and stones. We tried to leave no stone unturned and created a nice little pile of stones in a very short time.

Once done with the rocks, it was time to put some straw down in between the rows of onions! This task demonstrated how the Second Graders have really become problem solvers by coming up with their own system to pass the straw out. Their ability to cooperate on this task was incredible and demonstrated just how much they can accomplish when they put their minds to it!

Next, it was time to get ready for lunch. The Grade Two Students carefully helped chop up some carrots, onions, daikon radishes and cabbage to be added to a nice organic soup that was made right there from fresh veggies grown in the garden.

After eating some soup, genmai rice and their own lunches, we learned about composting and then helped weed the garden by pulling out all the little weeds growing around the daikon, carrots and onion crops.

Finally, the students had the chance to pick and transplant their own onion plant from the garden and into a small planter to take home!

It was a wonderful day with warm weather, sun and fun! Most importantly, lessons were definitely learned as Aita commented, "Mr. Brabant, being a farmer is a lot of work!" This comment was also echoed and reflected on by other students as well. Hopefully, a new found appreciation for where their food comes from was instilled in all the students. Thanks again to Bahram, and all of the other members of Peace and Nature for hosting us for the day!