Education From A Pickup Truck

Truck Farm Omaha with one of its educators at a stop to educate kids.

Over in Omaha, Nebraska, there's a unique educational opportunity for students in grades K-8. A few years ago, Dan Susman and Andrew Monbouquette were traveling around the US and filming a documentary about urban farming when they saw a concept on truck farming in Portland, Oregon. That gave them an idea. So, they bought a 1975 Chevy pickup and hired Chelsea Taxman as a manager/teacher and they planted a garden in the bed of the truck.

This garden is filled with all sorts of greens, herbs, and plants. There is also room in this garden for that bane of gardeners - weeds. The gardening program was officially launched on April 1, 2012, but it wasn't a joke. This is a traveling classroom on wheels, a way to teach kids about healthy eating, how plants grow, and sustainability. As a bonus, during the visit, kids get to taste some of the harvest from the truck. Who wouldn't want a visit from TRUCK FARM OMAHA, as the group is known?



It's not just schools and classrooms that can receive visits from this truck farm classroom on wheels. There are also other places this mobile classroom visits, including local YMCAs, after school programs, day care programs, and even birthday parties. The majority of the program, however, is focused on classroom visits, particularly in OMAHA PUBLIC SCHOOLS, a great addition to their curriculum.

As most educators do, Chelsea Taxman has developed a list of programs that are offered by the group. Such topics as composting, healthy snacks, soil composition, and plant identification, among the offerings, can be selected and utilized. The group does charge fees for its programs and that's how it sustains itself.

Chelsea has a permaculture design certificate from Valley Education Center in Dexter, Oregon. She is passionate about sharing her knowledge with children. If you want to be an intern with this group, she is the one to whom you would apply. She finds time to be involved in the local community, as well. The group also accepts volunteers, and Chelsea is the one to whom you would apply if that interests you. So, if you're in Omaha and happen to see that 1975 Chevy pickup with the farm in the pickup bed, then you've run across Truck Farm Omaha - and they're on their mission of educating kids.

Hands on with what's in the soil.

Thanks to this article from Organic Authority: http://www.organicauthority.com/truck-farm-omaha-gardening-program-education-and-good-eats-on-wheels/; and this article from Pollination Project: https://thepollinationproject.org/grants-awarded/chelsea-taxman/.

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