[Guest post by Pete Tonery.]
Rochester Roots is a NFP organization dedicated to the advancement of several of Rocville’s favorite interests and ambitions: organic and sustainable food production, developing entrepreneurial skills, advancing sustainable food knowledge, making a positive impact on city schools and improving the attractiveness of city living.

Wow. That is a lot! At first blush it’s hard to see how all these fit together but they do.

First, Rochester Roots, with support from the USDA Community Food Project, built both a greenhouse and a half acre urban farm at Clara Barton, school #2, in the city. With these resources in place, they then provided programming for both students and teachers to learn about garden-based nutrition education. In conjunction, they devised programming in entrepreneurial skills development to encourage city youth to understand and consider the value and opportunities in organic, sustainable farming. They also created workshops, volunteer opportunities and hands-on professional development for teachers.
Rochester Roots has tackled a fascinating mix of issues and ambitions. The group wants to promote the principles of sound nutrition in a community often dependent on the worst kinds of commercial, convenience foods. They have stepped into urban communities and installed food gardens for students to manage and learn about. They have put living, tangible biology into the school yard. They are introducing entrepreneurial skills that life in the city doesn’t offer- organic, sustainable farming as a viable business opportunity.

Rochester Roots is working with its agricultural partners to create a situation where advanced students can take ownership of a parcel of land and develop niche products they can market. This project is similar to a student doctor in residency at a hospital or a graduate student doing university research.

Great idea.

The next phase for the organization is to create a “micro-enterprise center that demonstrates the entire food system on two-acres of land while supporting learning standards and garden-based curriculum using 24 hands-on learning laboratories.” In simpler terms, they will build a complete, sustainable farm (garden) on a city school campus and develop academic programs around the sciences associated with agriculture and sustainable farming.

What a great project! Many city school kids are simply not exposed to agriculture on a regular basis. The same can be said for suburban kids but they may, at least, drive past farms occasionally. The concept Rochester Roots is developing puts a real, small-scale farm right on a city school campus and then organizes a wide variety of science and entrepreneurial skills programming around it.
And the produce goes right into school cafeterias!

These are important and neglected objectives. Planting the concepts of sound nutrition, sustainable growing (thinking!) and creating hands-on opportunities for city school kids is invaluable. Change in our agricultural methods doesn’t just happen on the farm. It happens from knowledgeable people advocating for it and attentive, educated people responding.

Want to learn more? Rochester Roots is hosting a community volunteer day — called “The Big Dig” — this Saturday!