Meet the Farmer

Celebrating our Seasonal Harvests

Fresh and local foods are woven throughout not just the school curriculum, but the school culture as well. ESY NOLA is introducing students, families and faculty to seasonal growing, eating, and learning through Meet the Farmer and other special initiatives. Through a strategic partnership with marketumbrella.org/Crescent City Farmers Market we are able to bring local farmers and producers into the school for student and family tastings, such as seasonal watermelons, citrus, strawberries, honey, etc.  In addition, these events aim to connect local growers to our school cafeteria, and to establish relationships with farmers to share their expertise in growing local produce on our own campus. 

marketumbrella.org says:  As the "welcome wagon" for local food conversations in New Orleans,marketumbrella.org was honored to be able to participate in the early conversations about the possibility for a Edible School Yard project in post-Katrina New Orleans. Through its flagship project, Crescent City Farmers Market (CCFM), regional farmers and fishers had spent the decade from 1995-2005 learning the cultural needs of shoppers and sharing information with urban residents about the seasonality of what is produced in the bioregion- and were ready to expand into institutional sales after Katrina.  At the same time, marketumbrella.org hired the region's first full time Forager to work with farmers and fishers new to the city and connect them to possible buyers, spending much time on school needs, learning from and supporting Green's efforts.  As soon as Green Charter opened its doors, its staff built strong relationships to local farmers and fishers and to the Crescent City Farmers Market through field trips, farm visits and Meet the Farmer days, as well as continuing to partner behind the scenes with Forager Mischa Byruck on building a healthy, local, fresh school lunch program by educating policy makers and designing a simple system that allows affordable, culturally appropriate food in the school.