Silverwood Park/Edgerton School District has completed its 2021 Sustainable Agriculture Summer School, which consisted of a Day Camp held at Silverwood Park and a Garden to Harvest@Silverwood course, which was a full-season gardening experience where students and families worked independently at the park and were guided by online information posted on Google Classroom.

Objectives for the project were: 

1. Expose students to a wide range of agriculture related careers in their community.
2. Help students see the connection between agricultural practices and the health of the environment.
3. Develop an appreciation for food and where it comes from.
4. Develop a sustainable model for expanding agriculture oriented summer school opportunities for youth in southern Wisconsin.

Outcomes for the students were to: 

1. Define sustainability/regenerative practice and discuss the various examples of sustainable/regenerative agriculture practices.
2. Describe soil formation and how to keep soil healthy, including no-till planting.
3. Describe organic production methods and steps to organic certification.
4. Identify the importance of crop management and its relationship to sustainable agriculture, including identifying plants that work well together in companion planting settings.
5. Identify pests and demonstrate actions to manage, includings insects and weeds.
6. Describe methods and benefits of composting
7. Identify agricultural related careers, how presenters employ sustainable agriculture practices, as well as the actions to take to obtain those careers.

Photos of Day One show students planting and mulching their gardens at Silverwood, after planning and selecting vegetables starts and appropriate tools.