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June 5: Urban Agriculture Program Strengthens Richmond High Students and Area Residents - Goal, From Five Tons in 2010 to Five-Year Produce Market Network

Presentation and tour begins at 3:30 p.m. Thursday at Richmond High School

With a single semester and hundreds of pounds - of produce and fruit - behind them, the members of the pilot Richmond High School (RHS) Urban Agriculture and Food Systems class will dig deep to share their accomplishments and experiences in the freshly opened '09 program co-sponsored by Urban Tilth and The Stewardship Council, through the Richmond Foodshed Collaborative grant.

In Jesse Kurtz-Nicholls classroom, Room 561 (the first portable on the Omega Campus located at the southeast corner of RHS, near the 24th Street entrance) at Richmond High School, school board members and district administrators, local community leaders, RHS parents, and members of the press will be treated to a tour of the RHS garden, the AdamsCrest Urban Farm, and the Humboldt Edible Forest:

. 3:30-3:50 p.m. Powerpoint Presentation and Q and A
. 3:50-4:10 p.m. Tour of RHS Garden
. 4:10-4:25 p.m. Transit to AdamsCrest Urban Farm (You'll need your own vehicle, but we'll provide maps.)
. 4:25-4:45 p.m. Tour of AdamsCrest Urban Farm
. 4:45-4:50 p.m. Transit to Humboldt Edible Forest
. 4:50-5:00 p.m. Tour of Humboldt Edible Forest and Closing

Students who participated in the 2008-2009 RHS Urban Agriculture and Food Systems class learned how to improve the local food system:

. Studied food systems from a variety of perspectives - public health, nutrition, ecology, public policy, and the retail food environment

. Learned and used organic gardening and market gardening methods

. Grown and harvested over 400 pounds of produce and secured donations of more than 200 pounds of gleaned local fruit

. Provided bi-weekly, low-cost CSA (community supported agriculture) subscriptions to ten RHS families complete with student-harvested produce and student-created newsletters which include recipes and healthy eating tips

. Grafted 100+ apple and plum trees to be planted out on public lands throughout Richmond

Future Student Farmers to Strengthen Community Roots and Residents

The RHS Urban Agriculture program needs more land on which student farmers can grow produce. A 2,000-square foot market garden has already been developed on the upper field of Adams campus and approval to break ground on the remainder of this undeveloped lot is being sought, along with financial support to cover start-up material costs, staff salaries, and student stipends.

By increasing the size of the market garden, the RHS Urban Agriculture and Food Systems class is expected to to provide more than 5 tons - 10,000 to 15,000 pounds - of low-cost, local, all-natural produce to local families during the 2009-2010 school year.

Within five years, the class will cultivate a network of market gardens managed by high school urban agriculture programs at all Richmond high schools.

A comprehensive network of growers would significantly improve the local food system, build community resiliency, and provide a channel for young adults to apply their energy and talents to address some of the most serious problems facing the community.

Contacts:

Park Guthrie, Co-Director of Urban Tilth, (510) 691-5051 or park@urbantilth.org

Jesse Kurtz-Nicholl, Richmond High School Teacher, (510) 304-3447 or jessekn@gmail.com

MEDIA: Pre- and post-presentation photo shoots may be arranged. R.S.V.P. and questions may be directed to rhs@urbantilth.org.
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   Mr. Park Guthrie
   Co-director
   Urban Tilthe
   San Pablo,    CA,    USA
   510-691-5051 (phone)
   park (at) urbantilthe (dot) org
   www.urbantilthe.org