Digging In

Collective Roots inspires a new wave of organic gardeners...

by Veronica Sedekum, April 16, 2008, Palo Alto Weekly

Enlightening the sometimes mysterious process of where food comes from and how it gets to the plate, East Palo Alto Charter School is doing more than serve fresh vegetables at lunch.

On Mondays through Thursdays, students enrolled in the garden elective take food education out of the classroom and cafeteria — and into the school garden.

On Fridays, members of the garden club prepare meals together in the school's outdoor kitchen. Collective Roots staff member and garden teacher Bryden Johnston selects a recipe featuring ingredients grown in the school garden's beds. Then, the collecting, washing, peeling, chopping, cooking — and, most importantly, tasting — begins.

Ingredients such as leeks are occasionally unfamiliar to students, but when they make their way into dishes like potato leek soup, they become an instant hit, Johnson said.

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Thank you Palo Alto Weekly!

Hello, We are delighted to share this feature story by the Palo Alto Weekly with you! If this work inspires you, Please allow me to encourage you to read a little further and consider supporting our efforts by making a donation.

My name is Saree Mading and I have lived in the City of East Palo Alto for most of my life. I grew up in East Palo Alto and attended local schools.

I urge you to support this work of Collective Roots that continues to dig deeper into our community and make a real difference.

Your donation to Collective Roots supports an exciting range of programs that are enriching schools and communities. Collective Roots now provides garden based learning to over 500 children at two schools in the Ravenswood City School District.

With your support, Collective Roots will continue outreach and expansion to other schools serving low income communities. Please consider supporting the work of Collective Roots at this critical juncture in our development. Whether you have supported us in the past, or are just now becoming familiar with our work, please know that your contribution will go far and touch the lives of many like myself who greatly appreciate your generosity and partnership in the development of our schools and community.

Three easy ways you can make a donation to Collective Roots: