Rock & Roll Farm

Tuesday! Mar 21 2006 // 8:30 pm //

Hello, Alaska

In three weeks or so I’ll be leaving for Ester, Alaska. I’ve accepted the position of EATinG Supervisor at Calypso Farm and Ecology Center. The EATinG program made Calypso Farm my first choice for the summer. I’ll write more about the area, the farm, etc. soon. Following is a description of the EATinG program from Calypso’s website.

Calypso Farm and Ecology Center (Calypso) created the Employing Alaskan Teens in Gardening (EATinG) program in 2003 as a way to educate and empower students to grow food for themselves and the community. This program provides students with an innovative way to connect education, employment, food and community. The EATinG Program facilitates the development of a network of youth run gardens in the Fairbanks schools, where students are paid to grow food and operate a small Community Shared Agriculture (CSA) program.

The pilot garden was established at Howard Luke Academy in 2003. In partnership with elementary, middle and high schools in the FNSBSD the program will create 3 school gardens by 2008. Operating these gardens as student-run CSA’s ensures that the gardens are maintained during the summer and contributes significantly to the financial sustainability of the EATinG program. The EATinG program establishes a mutually beneficial relationship where schools have gardens, youth have meaningful employment and hands-on education opportunities and the community has access to locally grown food.

p.s. if you know anyone who is selling a car anywhere between here and Fairbanks - and you think it could make the trip there - let me know.