Food Justice Newsletter

In this edition of the Food Justice newsletter, we look at the collaboration between the NOFA/Mass Food Access team and the students attending Central High School’s 9th and 10th-grade science classes.

Central High’s Young Scientists Learn Soil Health

In Springfield, Massachusetts, the new school year brings a fresh group of eager students to Central High School’s 9th and 10th-grade science classes, ready to explore hands-on learning through garden and kitchen demonstrations.

Mr. James Wilkins, a Science Teacher and Chair of the Special Education Department at Central High, wanted to give his students a more hands-on learning experience. In the second year of partnering with NOFA/Mass’s Food Access team, students can now work outdoors, use microscopes and microBIOMETERS, and practice farm-to-table techniques in the kitchen.

Students Harvest, Plan, and Prepare for Next Season’s Sofrito

Students harvested last summer’s crops from their garden, shared the produce with the front office staff, planted garlic, and started planning next year’s crops based on favorite foods they cooked at home.

In 9th-grade classes, students learn about the connection between the food and soil food web. The food web shows how different living things in an ecosystem, like plants and animals, are connected through what they eat. In contrast, the soil food web focuses on the tiny creatures in the soil that help plants grow and recycle nutrients, linking both systems together in a cycle of energy.

After discussing their favorite foods, sofrito emerged as the crowd favorite. Over the next few weeks, students from three classes will develop sofrito recipes to incorporate into next season’s garden plots.

Central High students are prepping garlic beds for planting and adding mulch.

Inside and Outside the Classroom Teaching

The Food Access Team will collaborate with the student gardeners for the rest of the semester to develop crop and meal plans and prepare sofrito, salsa, and fruit preserves.

Meanwhile, a smaller group of students will learn about hot bath canning, focusing on creating value-added products. Hot bath canning is a method of preserving high-acid foods like fruits and pickles by heating them in jars submerged in boiling water, which helps them last longer while keeping their flavor and nutrients.

Students will continue their project at Tapley Garden on Bay Street in Springfield, exploring culturally significant foods, urban soil health, and product development. Working outdoors and applying classroom lessons in real time enhances students’ understanding of science.

Stay tuned to future publications that will give more updates on the work of these classes. We may feature a few chefs and/or future soil scientists.

To learn more about the Food Access Program, visit the NOFA/Mass Food Access webpage.

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