Involving children in growing and harvesting food is an important part of what we do and have been doing since 1938. Students learn how to plant, harvest, cook and compost on five acres of gardens. In the fall and spring, instructors work with children in 4,000 square feet of greenhouses to produce vegetables, herbs, and flowers.
We practice “edible education” and are pleased to join forces with The Edible Schoolyard Project, a renowned program out of Berkley, CA whose mission is to provide interactive experiences in the classroom, kitchen, garden and lunchroom. Founded by chef, activist and author Alice Waters, Edible Schoolyard seeks to transform the health and values of children by making edible education part of the core curriculum of every school in the nation. At North Country School, our Edible Schoolyard classes meet for an hour and a half each week.
“Partnering with the true pioneer in edible education has been incredibly valuable for the Edible Schoolyard Project. North Country School and Camp Treetops have been giving children the experience of being a part of nature and the food system for 90 years, and their experience is invaluable as is their approach to working in a cold climate.”
—Alice Waters, ESY Founder
THE TEACHING AND LEARNING KITCHEN
The Teaching and Learning Kitchen (TLK) is an innovative, experiential learning space that complements the hands-on activities of our signature farm and garden program. Located at the heart of our campus next to the Children’s Garden and across from Glass House, the TLK is one of a handful of instructional facilities of its kind in the country.
NCS winter session/intersesson scene or activity, Feb 2020. photo by Nancie Battaglia
The Teaching and Learning Kitchen is the perfect classroom for Edible Schoolyard teaching, which reinforces the work that campers and students do in our extensive gardens and greenhouses. Fresh produce gathered outside is brought to the space for lessons about sustainability, earth science, botany, world history, the planet’s food stream—and so much more.
The 1,300-square-foot facility provides a seminar space and three kitchen work stations with ovens, two-burner cooktops, prep counters, storage, and lesson tables. As they prepare food, children and campus visitors can engage with issues that surround sustainably growing and harvesting food for the next century. The building is also an ideal discussion and presentation space for locavore gatherings or farm-to-fork workshops that feature chefs or farmers from the area.