Growing and preparing sustainably farmed food supports healthy bodies, healthy ecosystems and healthy economies. One person’s day-to-day choices, even a child’s, can positively impact and support the health of our community.
The camps at Live Earth Farm provide an extended opportunity for campers to explore their relationship to food. They plant and tend the garden and fields; they milk the cow and goats; they collect eggs, experiencing the real work of growing food. They then take those raw ingredients and learn to prepare and preserve healthy snacks, developing skills that are lost to many. Through hands-on interaction with their food they learn the benefits of diversity in their diet and in the ecosystem.
Last summer 10-year-old Mauricio worked alongside much younger and smaller campers like Richard, harvesting very muddy carrots. He took great care to make sure that even the smallest campers had a taste, wiping the mud off on his own jeans to make the vibrant orange carrots more palatable to the less adventurous campers.
Disconnection from the food that nourishes us, and the land and labor required to make that happen plays a roll in problems like childhood obesity and diabetes that are prevalent in our local, schools, especially among underserved populations. This is why the Live Earth Farm Discovery Program aims to raise $5,000 this spring to provide financial aid for more than 12 students to reconnect at farm camp in 2015.
To help sponsor summer camp for students like Mauricio, please make the greatest donation you can to the LEFDP financial aid fund this spring. Every contribution of any amount makes a big difference. All donations made by February 27th can be processed through the Monterey Peninsula Foundation Charity Match Program to add a 20% match. Please return the form enclosed with this letter with your check made out to MPF or make a secure donation online: http://liveearthfarm.net/discovery-program/support-us/
Help us support more campers in developing healthier habits and healthier lifestyles through good food and outdoor play at camp this year. Together we can make a difference for underserved young people living in the Pajaro Valley and beyond.
