January 2023
Our Farm Manager, Joannée, got the chance to visit our sister school this month in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Richmond Vale Academy is doing great work helping to build home gardens, restore coral reefs, and plant mangrove areas. Joannée was there to learn more about growing food in the tropics and to see the permaculture practices they utilize at school. She was also there to see how she can support their efforts to grow enough food on campus to feed their students and staff.
Some exciting things in St. Vincent is their ban on the following three things: single-use plastic bags, glyphosate (the prime ingredient in RoundUp), and GMO seeds (genetically modified organisms). There is a delicate balance on the island and the residents are fighting to keep this place beautiful and healthy for all their inhabitants.
At One World Center, we are in the midst of winter with snow and non-stop below-freezing temperatures. We are working on our crop plan and dreaming about spring and summer planting.
We have started hundreds of onion and leek seedlings so we can plant them outside in April. We are always trying to keep our hands in the soil, and growing seedlings inside helps to keep the winter blues away.