Gardening and Horticulture Teacher, Jeannine Davis was a featured panelist at the “State of Long Islands Local Suburban Agriculture: Where Do We Grow from Here” conference at Hofstra University on Thursday April 17th. The event was sponsored by the Long Island Food Coalition with Ms. Davis taking part in the “Importance of Local Agriculture to Health and Education” panel that and discussed how local food systems can benefit communities. Ms. Davis was selected to participate in the event due her role in building the School’s horticulture program and its success in promoting awareness for healthy eating and farming that has attracted the attention of other New York area schools.

Also on the panel were representatives from Orkestai Farms and Blossom Sustainable Development. The panel was moderated by Sharryn M. Kasmir, Ph.D, Professor of Anthropology at Hosftra University.  During the panel, Ms. Davis explained the importance of understanding food systems through education saying, “When food is a part of education and children have experiences in nature, they grow into more conscientious and healthy adults.”

The panel was part of a greater conference held by the National Center for Suburban Studies at Hofstra University, The Long Island Food Coalition, and the North Shore Land Alliance. According to the University, “this conference [brought] together local experts in the fields of sustainable food production and distribution representing the current practices in both agriculture and aquaculture of the area.”

Congratulations and thank you to Ms. Davis for sharing her expertise with the broader community. We are grateful to have her educate students as part of our integrated curriculum.

The Waldorf School of Garden City is a private, college-preparatory school that promotes academic success and integrity. Since the 1940s, the Waldorf School of Garden City’s curriculum and farm campus in New Hampshire’s Glen Brook has been teaching students about work, responsibility, and sustainable living.