PORT ANGELES — A group of second- and third-grade Jefferson Elementary School students recently learned about growing and shopping for food from a small natural grocer and a local organic farmer during a field trip a few blocks from their school.
Twenty-two students from Evan Murphy’s split-grade class walked from Jefferson Elementary to Good to Go Natural Grocery at 1105 S. Eunice St. on Oct. 24 to tour the small store and ask owner Elizabeth Seifert about where food comes from and what goes into running a store.
The students’ questions included how much food is in the store and how many hours Seifert works.
Her answers: “Enough to feed a community,” and, “Eight to 12 hours a day, six days a week.”
Seifert, 35, who has run the store for more than three years, said this was the first time she has had a visit from the students, whose school is only a few blocks from the store.
Vegetable stall
Outside, Christie Johnston, 57, of Johnston Farms in Agnew set up a stall with fresh vegetables.
Johnston showed the students a wide variety of fresh produce and answered questions about how they are grown.
Students exclaimed over a natural “loofah” grown in the farm’s greenhouse and picked curiously at piles of freshly picked fruits and vegetables.
The outing was part of the class’ lessons on nutrition and discussions on where their food comes from.
Although the school district purchases local produce for use in cafeteria fare, students only see it once it has been prepared, said Carrie Sanford, a parent chaperone and organizer of the trip.
“A lot of these kids don’t know what these things look like,” Sanford said.
Johnston said she enjoys escorting students for tours of the farm.
“It opens their understanding on how food grows,” Johnston said.
Each student received a snack bag with fruits and vegetables from Johnston Farms and a $5 gift certificate to be used at the Port Angeles Farmers Market at The Gateway pavilion Saturdays.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.
