IN RECENT YEARS, there have been a number of Jewish farms and farmers borne of the sustainable agriculture movement. That means there are growing opportunities for a Jewish presence in the food world.
We believe today's PJ Library reader could be tomorrow's farmer. That's one of the many benefits that
Old MacNoah Had an Ark by Sally Lloyd-Jones (an
Apples & Honey Age Group selection) offers to PJ families -- it provides exposure to the role of an animal caretaker.
With a "moo moo" here and there,
Old MacNoah Had an Ark piques an interest in children to learn more about animals, livestock, and the hard-working life of a farmer.
VISIT A WORKING FARMFor additional farm-life experiences, take your family on a visit to a local, working farm. It could be a livestock farm, where sheep and cattle live, or it could be a produce farm, where animals take a much less prominent role.
For additional information, here are a few outstanding models of Jewish farming efforts:
KAYAM FARM AT PEARLSTONE
Baltimore, MD
Kayam Farm at Pearlstone is one of the most active Jewish community farms in North America. Their mission is to embody and inspire social and ecological responsibility by transforming our community through hands-on Jewish agricultural education. They welcome more than 3,500 participants to the farm each year for field trips, volunteering, summer camp, holiday celebrations, skills workshops, and more. |
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ADAMAH ENVIRONMENTAL FELLOWSHIP
Falls Village, CT
Where else can you say a blessing while using recycled vegetable oil to fuel a truck filled with organic produce and naturally fermented kosher pickles? Adamah Environmental Fellowship is where young people, mostly in their early 20s, learn to farm while studying the connections between Jewish values and sustainable agriculture. |
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JEWISH FARM SCHOOL
New York, NY
"Sustainable Agriculture Rooted in Jewish Traditions" is the motto of the Jewish Farm School. The school runs a wide range of farm-based and sustainability-themed programs. Its emphasis is on teaching practical skills while also educating about the larger context of the contemporary food systems, and the ways in which Jewish traditional values and practices can inform our decisions and actions today. |
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THE FARM AT EDEN VILLAGE
Putnam Valley, NY
In 2010, Eden Village Camp and the Jewish Farm School collaborated to establish the Farm at Eden Village. An organic educational farm for campers attending Eden Village Camp, the Jewish Farm School runs a variety of programs at Eden Village when camp is not in session. |
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July 14, 2011