Kids come alive in a garden, with Land to Learn's Nicole Porto

There's a growing movement to bring more outdoor learning to public schools. This month, we profile Land to Learn, a non-profit organization that provides hands-on, garden-based learning to elementary students and teens throughout the Hudson Valley.  Executive Director Nicole Porto previously worked as a farmer and has dedicated her career to building sustainable and just food systems. In our interview, Nicole describes how Land to Learn's gardener-teachers work with kids of varying ages to instill knowledge of where their food comes from and advance values of caring for the Earth. There's also the unexpected thrill of watching the seeds they planted — strawberries, tomatoes, arugula — grow before their eyes.  "One of my favorite things to watch people get excited about is when a little yellow flower starts to grow a tiny, baby, spiky cucumber," Nicole says.  This episode focuses on Land to Learn's SproutEd program for elementary schools in Beacon, Newburgh and Kingston. Through SproutEd, gardener-teachers build school food gardens and teach monthly lessons that combine knowledge of plants, nutrition, cooking, and environmental stewardship. Separately, Land to Learn also offers employment and internship opportunities for teens and college-aged kids.  Find more information on Land to Learn at Landtolearn.org.