I don’t know about you - but we’re pretty big believers that some of the best-tasting tomatoes and peppers are the ones you grow yourself.

Farm to School coaches Sheila and Katie were happy to see 4th grade students at Green Street School in Brattleboro learn this firsthand at a recent pizza-making event. The pizza featured tomato sauce made by students with tomatoes, peppers, and herbs harvested from the school garden and greenhouse.

School Garden Coordinator Tara Gordon and French teacher Alice Charkes have been instrumental in this initiative. Under Tara's guidance, 3rd graders engaged in harvesting tomatoes, green peppers, and various herbs like oregano, sage, lemon balm, and rosemary from the school's garden and greenhouse.

Simultaneously, Alice's 4th-grade class was immersed in learning French vocabulary related to pizza, including words like 'fromage' (cheese), 'sauce tomate' (tomato sauce), and 'champignon' (mushroom). This linguistic journey culminated in a practical cooking session where each student crafted their mini pizza.

They started from scratch, mixing ingredients: yeast, oil, sugar, flour, and water to create a delicious homemade dough. Toppings included cheese, the tomato sauce made by the 3rd graders, and fresh oyster mushrooms grown in the school garden. The activity concluded with baking the pizzas and enjoying the fruits of their labor, marked by a collective 'bon appétit'.

This project at Green Street School exemplifies an effective blend of practical skills and academic learning, providing students with a holistic educational experience that extends beyond traditional classroom boundaries.

It's inspiring to witness students forging meaningful connections between the food they eat and how it’s grown.