Students from the land-based learning program in Muskoday dug and delivered hundreds of pounds of potatoes to the Prince Albert Food Bank on Wednesday. (Susan McNeil/paNOW Staff)

By Susan McNeil

Giving back and Learning

Muskoday students dig and donate potatoes for food bank

Oct 13, 2024 | 2:00 PM

Users of the Prince Albert Food Bank, who have some freshly dug garden potatoes with their Thanksgiving meals, can thank the land-based students from Muskoday First Nation.

The students grew, dug and donated hundreds of pounds of potatoes and delivered them in batches to the food bank.

“They actually have a garden at their school where they grew potatoes and some other veggies, but so these specific ones that we picked out from the community garden because they needed to be harvested,” said Tanya McCallum, the land-based learning teacher at the school.

With the idea of the children learning about things like food security, the lessons hit home extra hard with the recent price increases at grocery stores.

“We learned about food sustainability and food sovereignty because there’s a push to teach about food sustainability, especially with the high cost of food nowadays,” McCallum said.

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This was the second of two batches of potatoes delivered. The food bank said they will use them all. (Susan McNeil/paNOW Staff)

Muskoday has always been an agricultural community she said, so while students get outside and learn in a very hands-on environment, this is in keeping with their community’s history.

“I think it’s imperative we teach the students about agriculture, about farming, you know, like I said, food security, sustainability and security,” McCallum explained.

The school goes to Grade 9 and all grades help out in the community garden, even kindergartners.

She said the littlest children are some of the best workers.

Working with students outside is a really good way to get to know them and have one-on-one conversations. Teaching them about giving was also important.

“I think it really empowers them to be giving back to the community. You know, we talked about the food bank, you know, where do they get their food and who you who utilizes the food bank,” McCallum explained. Many food bank users are Indigenous, as are the students.

With the increase to the cost of living, the food bank has seen a significant increase in usage from not only homeless people but those living on one income and students.

Next year, she hopes to expand the garden to include more carrots and onions as both preserve well.

The students take some food home for their own families for Thanksgiving and supply the school’s kitchen as well.

Many of the children are planning to start gardens with their parents or grandparents or wait until they are older and have one of their own.

For next year, the learning will start even earlier with seedlings inside the school.

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com