In the final days before the invasive-species eating goats finished their time at Glinodo and headed for home, a group of schoolchildren from Erie's Farm to School program paid a visit. The program engages students in hands-on gardening and culinary activities in order to connect them with fresh, healthy food and create enthusiasm for growing food and caring for the natural world. The field trip to Glinodo Center and learning about the goats broadened their perspective. The Rosemary and Pine goatherds, Julia and Steph, from Albion, NY, told the students about the goats highlighting not only their biology but also the unique personalities of each goat.
Molly Tarvin, Mercyhurst University Sustainability Coordinater, taught the students about the research that Mercyhurst students did last year on the goats’ effect on the soil health, and led the students in a soil sampling activity. Sister Marcia Sigler also guided the visiting students in an art activity, utilizing objects from nature.
The group was accompanied by Stephanie Ciner, a local urban farmer and owner of Wild Field Urban Farm, who is a friend of the Benedictine community and Doreen Petri, project manager of Farm to School and a previous awardee of the Benedictine Sisters Prophet of Peace award. Erie Benedictine Program and Events coordinator organized the visit including a pizza lunch in the picnic shelter.
