Many Westport 4th graders want to be firemen or astronauts. Some may dream of playing Staples soccer.
One wants to be a farmer.
Charlie Colasurdo attends Kings Highway Elementary School. His fame has already spread all the way to Fairfield, where he was featured on the Fairfield Green Food Guide blog, in a story and photos by Analiese Paik.
He recently spent 6 weeks preparing a multimedia presentation for his class about local farms, and their importance to the community. He first asked his classmates if they knew where their food came from. (I’m assuming many said “Trader Joe’s.”)
Charlie discussed the history of farming — he really knows his onions — and then talked about Community Supported Agriculture.
Charlie and organic farmer Patti Popp
Charlie’s mentor is Patti Popp, owner of Sport Hill Farm in Easton who hosts dozens of children each year in a summer farm camp. Charlie has attended the camp for 2 years, after a great experience at Shelburne Farms in Vermont.
Charlie suggested that Kings Highway develop a school garden, like Staples and Green’s Farms Academy. It could be used for science class — and in the cafeteria. (A classmate piped up, “Cafeteria food isn’t healthy. I don’t like it” — prompting a roar of approval.)
Charlie was peppered with questions His favorite farm animal is chickens (“they give you eggs every day”), while harvesting cauliflower is hard because the heads are twisted in the ground.
The Fairfield Green Food Guide blog did not mention whether Charlie — and his special guest, Patti Popp — brought in zucchini or broccoli for the class to sample. It’s a good bet, though, there were no cupcakes.
Yeah Charlie! Patti’s farm is an inspiration to us all. She’s amazing and reminds us of the many wonderful REAL foods out there to nourish our bodies. I hope you’ll be able to get the KHS garden initiative underway. Happy farming –
Westport’s own Community Garden is located adjacent to Long Lots Elementary School. It has offered a plot to the school – the school said, “No thanks.”
The Community Garden has become so popular with adults and families that it wants to expand at its current site and is in the process of gaining approvals from town bodies. The Long Lots Elem School PTA and its principal disapprove of the expansion citing concerns over the safety of the schoolchildren. Westport’s School Superintendent also disapproves for the same reason.
Kudos to young Charlie. If, like Long Lots, the Kings Highway School says no to a garden at their site, I know that the folks at Westport’s Community Garden will welcome him with open arms.