Promise of Peace Gardens
Guest User
Elizabeth Dry of Promise of Peace Gardens tells us about her work with families. Elizabeth writes, "The kids keep me going and passionate about our mission. When I see the wonder and amazement in their eyes, and watch them really connecting with nature."
What is Promise of Peace Gardens all about?
We provides simple solutions that increase healthy behaviors and academic success in our schools and communities. Our families are making better choices about food, and our children are having more school success as behavior problems are decreasing and school focus is increasing.
We are establishing community support systems to help people live the best life they can, and we are connecting families together and local resources that give those families access to food and community engagement. Through our presence at markets, festivals, we provide information to help about our work growing food with folks from across the city. This broadens the perspectives of all involved.
We also host farm to table events that raise awareness of local farms, REAL food, and healthier perspectives. Okrapalooza is our annual signature fundraising event happening this year on September 19th.
How did Promise of Peace Gardens begin?
After 40 years in education, I decided to create a common ground where our community could connect and grow food together. That was nine years and six gardens ago. The biggest challenge has been reaching and educating folks about the unique transformation programming that we offer--getting them to value nature, clean food, and the experience of being together in the garden. Recently , a group of first graders making soap scrubs from the loofahs they grew exclaimed: "Now we are the loofah experts!" This what happens when children experience the complete cycle of seed to plate. They acquire long term knowledge they can then share with others!
What's one way you get young people excited about vegetables?
Each year we introduce two seeds that are high producers and lend themselves to exciting explorations. We are developing educational tool kits to share in order for surrounding garden and farms to educate about origin journey and cultures aspects of the seeds. The loofah has been an amazing journey and ends with delicious loofah cous cous with lemon grass dressing!
