JAFSCD peer-reviewed article by Abbey Palmer (Michigan State U Extension), Phillip Warsaw (Michigan State U), Aaron McKim (Michigan State U), Buddy McKendree (Michigan State U), Maezie Nettleton (U of Illinois Extension and Michigan State U), Tiffany Marzolino (Michigan State U), and Haley Brasier (Marquette Alger Regional Educational Service Agency)
Farm-to-school programs have many documented benefits but are often centered around school gardens or local food procurement, which can be a limitation for schools. Land-based learning (LBL) takes a student-centric approach to agricultural education, allowing students to identify and develop interventions to improve their local food system based on content presented in the classroom and community. This makes it possible to deliver farm-to-school content outside of its traditional settings.
This paper presents findings from the evaluation of a land-based learning program implemented in northern Michigan. The program engaged high school teachers, their students, school food-service directors, local farmers, and other educators to form Locally Integrated Food Teams (LIFTs). Students were presented content about local food procurement across instructional sessions, during which each LIFT worked to develop a shared understanding of the local food system and school lunch sourcing to identify an intervention to increase the amount of local food in their school lunches. The LIFTs then proposed their interventions, implemented their intervention, and presented the results of the intervention during a program wrap-up day.
In a new JAFSCD article, Experiences from a land-based learning project focused on local food interventions, authors Abbey Palmer, Phillip Warsaw, Aaron McKim, Buddy McKendree, Maezie Nettleton, Tiffany Marzolino, and Haley Brasier explore the experiences of LIFT members, through focus groups and observational data from the program participants. The authors find that delivering farm-to-school content in a land-based learning framework provides many of the same benefits of traditional farm-to-school programs, while allowing for greater flexibility in the construction of the program and providing additional educational benefits not commonly discussed in the farm-to-school literature. Corresponding author Abbey Palmer can be contacted at palmerab@msu.edu.
KEY FINDINGS
LBL empowers students to take an active role in shaping their local food system. By engaging students in authentic, hands-on projects, LBL provides opportunities for critical thinking, problem-solving, and leadership skills. This approach not only delivers the benefits of traditional farm-to-school programs but also offers unique opportunities for student growth and leadership. The key findings from this article focus on the impact of a LBL project on students’ perception of their school environment and local food systems:
Student Interpretation of Experience
- Agency: Students felt empowered to design and implement solutions to increase local food in their schools. They appreciated the opportunity to take ownership and control over the project.
- Consequentiality: The project's tangible results, unlike hypothetical learning situations, made students feel more connected to their work. They realized their project had a real impact on their school and community.
- Locally Integrated Food Teams and Collaboration Leadership: Students saw themselves as leaders who could contribute and collaborate with others. They expressed the importance of considering different perspectives and working together.
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Delegation: Students recognized the importance of dividing tasks and roles within their teams to ensure everyone contributed
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Problem-solving: Students developed problem-solving skills by facing challenges and finding compromises when disagreements arose. They learned that solutions may not always be immediate and require long-term planning.
The Legacy of LBL
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Continuing Ideas: Students and teachers expressed hope that the project's initiatives would continue beyond the program's end. They discussed ideas for future classes to build upon their work.
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Influence: The project influenced others in the school and community. Teachers noticed increased interest in healthy eating options, while the food-service director saw potential for incorporating more local produce into the school meals. Students tracked a rise in fresh food consumption at lunch.
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Relationship to Food: Students developed a deeper connection to the food system through the project. They gained new knowledge about food production and careers related to agriculture. The project also fostered an appreciation for local food and the challenges associated with bringing it to consumers.
Overall, the findings suggest that LBL gives students agency and allows them to see the real-world consequences of their work. This promotes collaboration, problem-solving skills, and a deeper understanding of the food system.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR POLICY, PRACTICE, AND RESEARCH
The farm-to-school movement has gained significant momentum in recent years, with a growing body of research highlighting its potential to improve student health, nutrition, and academic achievement. This paper explores the key findings and recommendations from recent research on LBL and delves into how this approach can be used to:
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Empower students: By leveraging student agency and providing opportunities for authentic problem-solving
- Overcome financial barriers: By starting small and building momentum to secure larger investments
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Leverage agricultural education: By fostering student engagement and leadership skills through hands-on experiences
- Advance future research: By exploring the potential of LBL in diverse settings and evaluating its impact on a range of outcomes
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Land-based learning involves students in the process -- from planning to implementation -- to source local food for the cafeteria. #land-basedlearning #localfoodsystems #farm2school #experientiallearning
Read the @JAFSCD article for free: https://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2024.141.013
