Food Literacy Project 

Each year hundreds of students from Jefferson County Public Schools and other youth groups come to the Food Literacy Project to make an earth connection. The Food Literacy Project is a non-profit education agency partnering with a working farm to teach the Louisville community about the processes and products of organic and local agriculture.

In addition to the many people who have volunteered time and resources, Carol Gundersen, Director, thanks to SCORE counselor George Vest who helped her set up her bookkeeping system and helped the Food Literacy Project file their first year’s tax return. Score and The Food Literacy Project are two organizations helping to make Metro-Louisville a better community.

In 2007 over 800 students came to the farm. The project is aiming for 1200 in 2008. In the past participants from Arcadia Community Center to Eliahu Academy, from Bowen Elementary to Maryhurst, from Whitney Young Elementary to Waldorf School of Louisville. The peak time for visiting the farm is October and November. The students come to “get their hands dirty and their minds expanded by seeing food travel from field to table.”

The Project would not be possible without farm partner, Ivor Chodkowski. Chodkowski makes his living raising eight acres of vegetables for local farmers’ markets, restaurants, and stores through the farmer-owned Grasshoppers Distribution. Grasshoppers Distribution is a shareholder community agriculture program. For 24 weeks, May through November, subscribers to the program receive a box of produce from the farm. Chodkowski farming methods seek to restore the earth rather than deplete its riches. Natural pesticides and fertilizers are used on the land. Part of the mission of the Food Literacy project is to let the students visiting the farm in on the secrets of more natural farming.

To learn more about The Food Literacy Project, go to their web site http://www.foodliteracyproject.org/. You might also visit or write them at 9001 Limehouse Lane, Louisville, KY 40222. Their telephone number is 502-413-5989.