By: Hailey Colwell
Growing up, Champlin Park High School Freshman Mela Nguyen said her community wasn’t exposed to much healthy food.
“I grew up in north Minneapolis,” Nguyen said, “and all I [saw was] fast food and too much friend chicken around.”
Nguyen recently joined the Youth Farm and Market Project, a program that teaches adolescents about urban agriculture and healthy, sustainable food.
Youth Farm joined a number of organizations Friday for Growing Food, Growing Youth: The Bud Markhart Urban Youth and Food Day on the University of Minnesota’s St. Paul campus. The event brought together high school students from across the Twin Cities to discuss food culture and justice while learning about higher education.
“With contemporary life, [students] tend to see food as beginning in a restaurant or in a grocery store,” said Food Science and Nutrition professor Craig Hassel. “We’re trying to bring back a more meaningful experience around food for students.”
Throughout the day, students experimented with native Minnesotan food, cooking wild rice and concocting their own all-natural salad dressing.
They learned about hydroponic farming — using all water but no soil to grow crops — and micro greens, or plants harvested at an early seeding stage that are often used in fine cooking.
They also got a taste of college by exploring the St. Paul campus and learning about the University’s admission process — a new experience for some students.
“Not everyone is able to have a campus tour,” said Elizabeth Zalanga, a junior at Central High School in St. Paul. “It’s really interesting and it gives people an insight into what college is like.”
The event was created in honor of University professor Bud Markhart, who passed away in June 2012. Markhart brought his teaching background in sustainable agriculture to various communities, and was especially interested in educating youth about food produced in different cultures, Hassel said.
He said Friday’s event would commemorate Markhart by continuing his work in showing students the significance of food.
“It’s not just something that tastes good or something that’s satisfying in a narrow, consumerist role,” he said, “but something that is part of their connection to place, their connection to community and their connection with family.”
Tartan High School freshman Armon Amini said the day helped him learn about food’s connection to fitness.
“It helps physical health,” said Armini, who plays on the school basketball team.
Nguyen said she hopes to bring what she’s learned about sustainable agriculture and healthy food back to the community she grew up in.
“I could probably speak to the people of north Minneapolis so they open their eyes and see that what they’re eating is unhealthy.”