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    Essential Reading

    Program Overview

    The broad strokes of the Edible Learning Lab Program.

    Teachers Primer

    A guide to help teachers visualize their edible education program.

    Farmers Primer

    Learn how to turn your farm into an edible classroom.

    Organizations Primer

    Discover how you can bring edible education into your community.

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    There are numerous grants and funding sources to get you started.

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    Buy the same equipment we use in our flagship Lab.

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  • Lessons

    Review the Quick Start Guide

    Take a few minutes to walk through this Quick Start Guide and get your bearings. Then jump in and explore the curriculum.

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    Beginner Lessons

    The Beginner Lessons form the foundation with a sound overview of the core concepts of food production.

    Intermediate Lessons

    The Intermediate Lessons allow students to experiment and prove the core concepts.

    Advanced Lessons

    The Advanced Lessons give students an opportunity to apply what they've learned in the previous levels.

    Lessons By Station

    Seed Starting Curriculum

    Soil Management Curriculum

    Vermiculture Curriculum

    Hydroponics Curriculum

    Composting Curriculum

    Water Management Curriculum

    Seed Saving Curriculum

    Teaching Kitchen Curriculum

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    Our Core Values

    We believe that all Modern Steaders thrive on hard work, strive for self-reliance, constantly develop craft skills, have a thirst for knowledge, respect their connection to the land, use resources efficiently, and support their local community.

    Changing the Conversation

    What we at Modern Steader are working toward isn’t just food education, or a gardening program, or a nutrition program. This is about food awareness and an exploration of the process to cultivate, harvest, and transform real food as ingredients into a healthy diet and lifestyle.

    Our Top Posts

    What is a Food Desert?

    Gain insight into food deserts, the communities they impact, and how edible education may offer a solution.

    The Difference Between Rainwater and Tap Water

    Not all water is created equal especially when we're talking about the health and development of plants and people.

    Why Rain is Important

    Rain or the lack of an adequate supply can have profound effects on farming and the communities that rely on the harvest.

    Anatomy of a Seed

    It all begins with a seed and this article dives deep into the 5 primary parts of the seed that make it all possible.

Keep It Fresh

Keep It Fresh

How To Store Fresh Produce To Last
Lesson: 9.1.2
Level:
Beginner
Station: Teaching Kitchen
Format: Essential Skill
Rating:
Lesson 9.1.2 Keep it Fresh

Lesson Overview

Spoilage represents a loss of $2275 a year to each and every American family. But with a little preparation and effort, wasted food can be drastically reduced. This lesson explores the key methods for preserving food.

Goals

  • Describe ways to store a variety of fruits and vegetables
  • Describe why produce goes bad when stored improperly

Outcomes

Students will properly store harvested produce from the Lab as well as any store bought produce in order to minimize waste from spoilage.

Teaching Primer

food waste for compost

(Liz Martin/SourceMedia Group News)

Is there anything more frustrating than opening the vegetable drawer in the refrigerator only to find that the celery is limp, the cilantro wilted, or the baby greens a spoiled mess?

The NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) estimates that the average American household throws away 25% of the food and drinks they purchase. That represents a loss of as much as $2275 a year!

With a little education on the proper ways to store the most common fruits and vegetables, anyone can reduce spoilage, save money, and enjoy the best flavor from the ingredients that the garden has to offer.

Teach the Teacher

  • How to store the most common fruits, vegetables, and herbs
  • Farm to Table…To Landfill?

Tools & Materials

  • Resealable plastic bags
  • Paper towels
  • Mason jars
  • Kitchen shears

Vocabulary

  • Ethylene
  • Humidity
  • Dehydration
  • Spoilage

Method

Introduction (5 minutes)

Begin the lesson with the question, “What causes fruits and vegetables to spoil.” Then review each of the methods for properly storing the 10 most common fruits and vegetables used in the kitchen.

Activity (20 minutes)

After each fresh harvest in the Lab, have the Students properly store the produce according to the method outlined for each.

Discussion (10 minutes)

What are the biggest threats to storing fruits and vegetables? Any other methods we could try?

Assessment (10 minutes)

Use the following questions to assess the Students before and after the lesson. Tally the responses of the group in the Assessment Tracking Log for comparison:

  • By a show of hands, how many of you know how to properly store fresh produce at home?
  • Now that you know how to store a variety of produce, how many of you will teach your parents the proper ways to store fruits and vegetables at home?

Related Lessons

Give the Intermediate or Advanced lessons a try now that you’ve completed the Beginner Lesson!

This lesson, and all other lessons on this website, are intended for use by teachers in the classroom. These lessons are protected by US and International copyright laws. Reproduction or distribution of lesson content, supporting materials, or digital creative is prohibited with written permission from Modern Steader LLC.

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Modern Steader is dedicated to bringing edible education to all students K-12. How can we help you bring edible education into your classroom?

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Tim Miner, Co-Founder

Tim is Modern Steader's Lab Strategist, working tirelessly to bring future Edible Learning Labs to life. Under his direct leadership, the flagship Lab in Buffalo, WY has given more than 400 students the opportunity to explore the soil to table process.

At home, he is a passionate locavore, and doting husband and father, living in the Bighorns of northern Wyoming.

Read about Tim's journey >>>

Dave Creech, Co-Founder

Dave is a husband, foodie and entrepreneur striving to live healthier and happier through better food and outdoor living. He started his urban garden in early 2013 in an effort to grow as much of his own food as possible. Dave is continually learning to live more simply, waste less, be more efficient and generally build a better skill set.

Read about Dave's journey >>>

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