Intergenerational Landed Learning on the Farm for the Environment is an initiative of the Department of Curriculum and Pedagogy that provides urban children and adults with an authentic food growing experience on UBC’s Point Grey campus. The project was initiated in 2002 to advance understanding of sustainable living, learning, and practice through environmental education programs and research. Its goals are to: 1) promote environmental stewardship by helping children acquire knowledge and skills in sustainable food growing; 2) improve food literacy and encourage healthy lifestyles; 3) advance intergenerational learning in the community; and 4) advance a local, sustainable food system. Between September and June elementary children from inner city schools partner with retired farmers, avid gardeners, and university students at UBC Farm to plan, plant, nurture, and harvest food crops. In the farm’s kitchen, children prepare whole foods from seed-to-table and discover the importance of healthy eating. During July and August FarmWonders daycamp provides eight weeks of science, environment, and agriculture activities for 150 children.

To date Landed Learning has provided environmental education for over 1000 children and 200 adult volunteers, and has generated a model for land-food-community based environmental education and a set of teaching resources used in communities across BC and Canada. In 2009 the Project received the BC Hydro Community Champions Award for advancing environmental sustainability in the community, and  the Canadian Council on Learning’s Sharing the Flame Award for excellence in health and environmental education.

CLICK to watch the Intergenerational Landed Learning on the Farm video.

For further information, contact project director, Dr. Jolie Mayer-Smith jolie.mayer-smith@ubc.ca  or visit the website,  http://m2.edcp.educ.ubc.ca/landedlearning.