Jackie Gives Grow Kit Presentation at Buncombe Partnership for Children

Jackie's presentation at Buncombe Partnership for Children

Teachers and teacher assistants with their Microgreens Grow Kits.

On February 8, 2018 Jackie gave a presentation to a group of educators at the Buncombe Partnership for Children in Woodfin, NC.

Each of the participants received a Microgreens Grow Kit funded by The Partnership and Jackie gave a one-hour session on growing procedures and hints. The teachers and teacher’s assistants will then take the kits to their classrooms and the kids will get hands-on experience growing vegetables.

Natasha Bowden, Shape NC Specialist at The Buncombe Partnership for Children, purchased 10 Microgreens Grow Kits for the Partnership and received 4 free kits under our commitment to earmark a portion of our profits to place grow kits in classrooms.  Shape NC is an early childhood initiative that works with child care programs to instill healthy behaviors early on, creating a solid foundation for a healthy life.

The class included a tasting of the products they would be growing by sampling a pineapple, banana, apple juice and microgreens smoothie–

Shape NC specialist purchased microgreens grow kits

Natasha Bowden (left), Shape Specialist and Jackie.

something any child would enjoy. Microgreens and cream cheese on crackers was also sampled as well as microgreens freshly harvested during the course of the class.

Educators can pair the growing of microgreens with any number of curricula while getting their students to appreciate the taste of freshly grown produce and the teachers eagerly participated in a detailed demonstration of the whole growing process.

2016 Southeast Farm To School Conference

We were an exhibitor at the Growing Minds Southeast Farm to School Conference in Greenville, SC on September 24.  As the Growing Minds Website says, “Farm to school programming connects classrooms, the cafeteria, and the community—helping children develop healthy relationships with food and enriching the overall educational experience for children and adults alike. The movement is growing, nationally and here in the southeast.”

We had the pleasure of meeting many people involved in this wonderful project– from teachers and school administrators to program organizers and gardeners and to the chefs and cafeteria staff who finally serve the food to the kids.

We came away impressed with the dedication all these folks bring to their communities.  We traded ideas and met some folks who gave us some welcome advice about how we can build our own program of placing Microgreens Grow Kits in more classrooms.  It was a fun and enlightening weekend.

Here are a few photos.  Hover over an image to view its title.