
Mr. Ashley and Ms. Perry work together to start mushrooms.
Ninth grade students from Warren County High School got a chance to visit Raleigh and learn garden techniques from the experts last week. Growing Power's Will Allen and team partnered with the Inter-faith Food Shuttle and Longview School in Raleigh to host various high school groups, including Warren County's, to participate in hands-on lessons to grow mushrooms and microgreens; build aquaponics and compost systems; and discuss food justice.
Aaron Ashley, shown left, learned how to grow mushroom spores into mushrooms, and got to take spores back to the classroom to take care of them, watch them grow, and to eventually eat! While spreading his new spores, Aaron had an epiphany. He said, "If we grew more food like this ourselves, we would save so much money and wouldn't have to buy all of this expensive food from other places." The workshops not only taught our students valuable methods to grow their own food, but got them thinking about our local food system and how their new skills relate. Our students will bring back lessons learned to their school garden, and hopefully be able to spread their enthusiasm to community members.
Aaron Ashley, shown left, learned how to grow mushroom spores into mushrooms, and got to take spores back to the classroom to take care of them, watch them grow, and to eventually eat! While spreading his new spores, Aaron had an epiphany. He said, "If we grew more food like this ourselves, we would save so much money and wouldn't have to buy all of this expensive food from other places." The workshops not only taught our students valuable methods to grow their own food, but got them thinking about our local food system and how their new skills relate. Our students will bring back lessons learned to their school garden, and hopefully be able to spread their enthusiasm to community members.