Frozen February

Here’s where our edible schoolyard stands as of today: frozen with areas of slush. This is okay because a.: we haven’t started yet, and b: it’s February and that’s what happens in February, so all is going as expected. Hurrah!

As for our future, I have recently been experimenting with visualization and manifestation by closing my eyes and concentrating on an image or feeling of what I want as if I already have it. As you can imagine (or can’t if you haven’t honed this skill quite yet) this practice is tricky and seems sometimes, well, silly. In some areas of my life, it’s just impossible, but in others, i.e. a gorgeous vegetable patch on a summer day with enthusiastic school kids harvesting zucchini and tomatoes, it’s crystal clear. I take that as a good sign.

I’ve written a letter to the upper grades urging them to help with this current epidemic. It was meant to inspire but as I reread it now I realize it is a bit severe.

Dear Food Rules Team,

America is in trouble. That means we are unhealthier than ever before, and instead of getting better and stronger, we are getting weaker and sicker. This problem affects all of us. It costs a lot of money to get sick, and some people don’t have enough money to pay for doctors. No one wants to spend a lot of time not feeling good, or watch people they love like their parents not feel good. The main reason our bodies are getting sick is because we aren’t eating enough fruit, vegetables and grains. In fact, we aren’t eating a lot of real food at all. A lot of what we’re eating is made out of chemicals and other stuff that is actually hurting us more than helping us. Sometimes we don’t know what choices to make that would be best for our bodies. Other times we do know what would be better to eat, but it costs too much money, or it is unavailable. There are even times when we could choose to make healthy decisions, but we are so used to eating the way we always have and it can be hard to change bad habits.
We need your help to figure out some solutions to change this sad situation and live long healthy lives. Together we can change this, one bite at a time!

Sincerely and with hope,
Ms. Dyson


Pretty ominous, huh? I got 10 kids to join our little coalition. We will meet every Thursday for an hour for 7 weeks to get the ball rolling. I’m glad they are going to be there because I just realized that I have no idea where to start. But at least we are moving forward!

If you are interested in volunteering or have advice or comments for me, leave me a note and I will respond. Thanks for your interest and support in this experiment!