Baltimore to Open Organic Farm for Schoolchildren

Baltimore City Public Schools has announced plans to open an organic farm where its schoolchildren will learn about healthy eating. The plans for the facility, called Fresh Start Farm, calls for 33 acres of neighboring Baltimore County to be used as a living, growing classroom for often economically disadvantaged City public school students, where they will learn about healthy diets and sustainable living by growing their own plants in the soil.

The project is being spearheaded by Baltimore City Public School's new food service director Tony Geraci, who previously founded First Course, a culinary program for low-income and at risk youths, two categories Baltimore City is no short supply of. A 2007 survey found that one fifth of Baltimore City High School students are obese. Following national trends, the rates of diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease are also much higher in the City than both State of Maryland and national averages, particularly amongst the African-American community that makes up nearly two thirds of Baltimore's population.

Geraci has big plans to do his part to change all that and has recruited master gardeners, horticulturalists and building contractors to help in the effort. Local restaurants have also offered to buy some of the locally grown, organic produce from the farm in order to help defer operating costs. Geraci told The Baltimore Sun about his vision for students utilizing the Fresh Start Farm, "I see them sleeping on the grass, looking up at the stars, sitting around a campfire - and this is in the heart of Babylon."

You can takepart in ensuring that the new renewable, sustainable economy also benefits the least fortunate in our society by checking out Green For All.

LINKS:

Baltimore Sun: Seeds of change

Sierra Club Compass: Dream Reborn: Green for All

Gourmet: Baltimore's New School Chef