A Summer of Inspiration: Truck Farm’s 2012 Season Kicks Off

 

The arrival of summer marks the beginning of the season for DC Central Kitchen’s Truck Farm. The Truck Farm, an edible garden in the bed of a pick-up truck, was started last year as a joint project between DCCK and the USDA. Every Friday from 10am to 2pm, the truck is at the USDA People’s Garden Farmers Market and during the rest of the week the Truck Farmers bring the truck to DCCK’s summer feeding sites, giving gardening and nutrition lessons.

 

 

 

 

Annie Ceccarini, Outreach and Education Coordinator for the USDA People’s Garden Initiative, says that the truck farm concept is an “easy way to engage the community,” connecting urban children and adults to the source of their food. In addition, the truck provides an opportunity for kids to “be gardeners,” all while learning about nutrition and healthy eating. Most importantly, the truck inspires people to think “we can do this,” we can grow our own food, we can eat more healthily. Looking to the future, Annie hopes to partner with other organizations to find other ways to bring gardens into at-risk food communities.

 

 

 

 

 

For the DCCK Truck Farmers, the 2012 summer season is just getting underway, with a visit to the Young Ladies of Tomorrow last week, and visits to Children’s National Hospital and King Towers this week. You can follow the truck across DC on Twitter and Facebook. We’ll be posting updates and photos frequently throughout the summer, so check back often! DCCK’s Truck Farm is made possible by the USDA People’s Garden Initiative, the Aetna Foundation, and the Shepherd’s Gift Foundation and we thank them for their support.