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Millis/Medway - Local Town Pages

The Whole Kids Foundation Connects Kids with Food at Medway Community Farm

If you had been at the farm last week, you would have spotted a large group of people donning dark green baseball caps. If you were lucky enough to get an up-close view, you would have quickly noticed they were from Whole Foods. This fun and adventurous group was on a “field trip” to view the new garden learning spaces built through their Garden Grant Program funding.
The Whole Kids Foundation awarded the farm a grant in the amount of $3,000 in 2021. Although there were some challenges to constructing these new spaces, with some clever thinking, Todd Sandstrum, Farm Manager, and Medway High School students recently completed constructing eight outdoor spaces (see the graphic attached). 
With all the students in mind, the farm’s goal was to build enough education beds for each grade at the elementary level to have a learning garden. As the process began and supply prices skyrocketed, it became apparent that building the project within budget would take some creativity. To start, lumber costs are incredibly high. “We used our contacts and sourced the lumber through a local connection that brought the wood down from Maine. We also used a method called hugelkulter that involves a layering effect within each bed. We start with partially decomposed compost of small logs and branches, then a layer of hay, green compost, finish unscreened compost, then soil. As the logs break down, they will add bacteria and help build a strong soil web in each bed,” said Todd Sandstrum, Farmer.
The students are planting early-season greens, radishes, and herbs—quick turnaround vegetables. The vegetables have been produced and are growing in the greenhouse in anticipation of when the students are ready to plant them. The goal is for the students to be able to plant and harvest within sixty days and then sell what they grew and harvested to their parents at the farm stand!
The mission of the Whole Kids Foundation is that kids know and feel connected to their food. The more curious they become about how things grow or taste, the more willing they are to try new foods.” The Whole Kids Foundation
 “Visiting the farm and seeing how the Whole Kids Foundation grant has helped them was an amazing experience. Seeing how much Carol and Todd are helping the community and how much they are teaching kids is phenomenal. Part of Whole Foods Market›s core values is to give back to the community as much as they can, and that is also what the Medway Community Farm is doing as well.” said Whitney Moore.
For more information on the Whole Kids Foundation and the Garden Grant Program, please visit https://www.wholekidsfoundation.org/programs/school-gardens-grant.