PEAS is a collective of educators, students, parents & community members operating the School Community Organic Farm at Cunningham Elementary. Please fill out the form on the contact page if you have any questions or would like to become a member.
Author and farmer Wendell Berry, says, “A good community, as we know, insures itself by trust, by good faith and good will, by mutual help. A good community, in other words, is a good local economy.” He also states, “Eaters must understand that eating takes place inescapably in the world, that it is inescapably an agricultural act, and that how we eat determines, to a considerable extent, how the world is used.” The creation of a School Community Education Farm gives members the opportunity to participate in the creation of and be a part of a “good community” while learning how to better use the planet as they enjoy and care for themselves.
The benefits of community gardens are myriad, but the intention of this project is not just to replicate the traditional idea of a community garden. With enough space, like that which is available on school campuses like Cunningham Elementary in Austin, the notion of a community garden can be grown to become a school and community education farm. The PEAS Community Farm at Cunningham Elementary serves as an educational center, mentoring space, and a hub for a system of home-based gardens.
Traditionally, community gardens have been a space where members rent one plot and take care only of their assigned space, leaving other plots to their respective owners, who may or may not have the time to keep up with them over an extended period. In order to more easily sustain the school community farm, the community works collaboratively to farm the whole piece of land as a group. Working side by side with neighbors to meet a common goal creates a true community.
Benefits to School
There are many studies which affirm the benefits of community gardening for students. The authors Ober Allen, Alaimo, Elam and Perry wrote that “garden programs provided opportunities for constructive activities, contributions to the community, relationship and interpersonal skill development, informal social control, exploring cognitive and behavioral competence, and improved nutrition. Community gardens promoted developmental assets for involved youth while improving their access to and consumption of healthy foods.[1]”
Additional benefits to the school are that the farm:
The PEAS School Community Farm provides “edutainment” (educational entertainment) for the entire community. Community experts are invited to present hands-on, experiential classes to the community on a variety of topics such as gardening, composting, cooking, canning, and pickling. Classes are accessible to community members of all ages.
Additional Benefits to the community are that the farm:
Author and farmer Wendell Berry, says, “A good community, as we know, insures itself by trust, by good faith and good will, by mutual help. A good community, in other words, is a good local economy.” He also states, “Eaters must understand that eating takes place inescapably in the world, that it is inescapably an agricultural act, and that how we eat determines, to a considerable extent, how the world is used.” The creation of a School Community Education Farm gives members the opportunity to participate in the creation of and be a part of a “good community” while learning how to better use the planet as they enjoy and care for themselves.
The benefits of community gardens are myriad, but the intention of this project is not just to replicate the traditional idea of a community garden. With enough space, like that which is available on school campuses like Cunningham Elementary in Austin, the notion of a community garden can be grown to become a school and community education farm. The PEAS Community Farm at Cunningham Elementary serves as an educational center, mentoring space, and a hub for a system of home-based gardens.
Traditionally, community gardens have been a space where members rent one plot and take care only of their assigned space, leaving other plots to their respective owners, who may or may not have the time to keep up with them over an extended period. In order to more easily sustain the school community farm, the community works collaboratively to farm the whole piece of land as a group. Working side by side with neighbors to meet a common goal creates a true community.
Benefits to School
There are many studies which affirm the benefits of community gardening for students. The authors Ober Allen, Alaimo, Elam and Perry wrote that “garden programs provided opportunities for constructive activities, contributions to the community, relationship and interpersonal skill development, informal social control, exploring cognitive and behavioral competence, and improved nutrition. Community gardens promoted developmental assets for involved youth while improving their access to and consumption of healthy foods.[1]”
Additional benefits to the school are that the farm:
- Provides an outdoor learning lab where lessons are easily aligned with state curriculum standards for science, economics, and health.
- Promotes the mentoring of youth by providing healthy lifestyle activities and an outdoor space for positive relationships to develop.
- Brings community members to the campus and offers potential for building partnerships with local businesses and relationships with people who will care about the school.
- Is managed by the Community Farm Committee, so it is not “one more thing” for the teachers and/or school staff.
- Exposes students to career opportunities in the local food system.
- Provides access to healthy fruits and vegetables for student consumption.
- Offers teachers, faculty, and staff a place for solace.
The PEAS School Community Farm provides “edutainment” (educational entertainment) for the entire community. Community experts are invited to present hands-on, experiential classes to the community on a variety of topics such as gardening, composting, cooking, canning, and pickling. Classes are accessible to community members of all ages.
Additional Benefits to the community are that the farm:
- Provides an opportunity for community members to learn how to growtheir own food.
- Enables community members to understand more about the career opportunities in the local food system.
- Offers a source of inexpensive, nutritious food.
- Generates collective food security.
- Creates a place of visual beauty and inspiration.
- Provides volunteers and garden members with a feeling of accomplishment.