At LifeWays we encourage the development of strong bonds and
relationships between the children that attend the center and their peers,
caregivers, and parents. In addition to these relationships we strive to reinforce
a relationship between the children and their food. Just as important as the
relationships that strengthens the community the child resides in, the
relationship with their food provides both physical nourishment and nourishment
of the soul, as well as an appreciation for the bountiful harvests that the planet
allows us to produce.
The
kitchen at LifeWays is the central hub of the building, an area that all of the
children must pass by on their way to the restroom or their suite and is the
first place in the center that they turn to see as they descend the stairs. Our
kitchen is not walled off in some obfuscated corner of the building, but rather
wide open and centrally located so that the children can experience the
creation of their meals. One of the most enjoyable parts of my day is the time
when the children come in to help set the tables and all run up to ask me what
it is that we are having for lunch that day. They care about their food and are
curious about the smells that have been radiating from the building while they
spend their morning outside experiencing their peers and their beautiful
planet. It is important for the children to know and understand that there is
no bush that produces bread or a tree that soup is extracted from. When the
meal is prepared in full view of the children they are able to see how much
love and effort is put into the creation of their meals. I often hear my name
called from a table during the lunchtime meal,
which is followed by a sweet voice thanking me for the for the delicious
food. When I hear those words I know that I have done my part to nourish both
the body and the soul.
Throughout
the year there are several days dedicated to both planting and harvesting crops
at Miss Mary's farm in West Bend, WI. On those days parents and children are
invited to come to Paradise Farm and get their hands into the soil and sow the
seeds that they will then harvest when the time is right. Just recently there
was a farm day in which the families travelled to the farm to harvest the
potatoes that they had planted earlier in the year. There were several
varieties of potatoes planted so the children were able to see that the
"cookie-cutter" foods sold at most large supermarket chains are not
the only forms of food available. They were able to harvest red, yellow,
purple, and russet potatoes of all different shapes and sizes, some eaten by
insects and others in near pristine form. These potatoes were then brought in
to LifeWays and washed, chopped, and cooked into a delicious soup and the next
day mixed with grains and lentils for another healthy meal. By harvesting these
precious tubers from the ground the children were able to see the path that
their food takes before they are able to gobble it up, and most importantly,
where it comes from.
We make
a conscious effort at LifeWays to make sure the children are informed when they
are eating food from Miss Mary's farm or from our small plot out in front the
center in the community garden. The children are able to visualize the farm
with its barn and goats and bees and connect to their food in a way that has
been all but lost for many humans in our modern existence. This close
relationship to their food is an integral facet of the child's experience at
LifeWays, an important part of the development of their physical body, and a
basis for the nourishment of their soul.
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