At Sojourner Truth Montessori Public Charter School, Farm & Enterprise Coordinator Tamara Ashton is teaching students that growing food starts with healthy soil – in turn promoting healthy communities. As an environmental educator, Tamara’s personal and professional mission is to “embrace initiatives that promote wellness and environmental stewardship, fostering a thriving and resilient society for generations to come.”
Now in her second year at the school, Tamara leads a 10-week Farm & Enterprise class with students spanning multiple ages. This spring, she filled the garden beds with Bloom’s Woody Blend, a decision driven by her hunt for something local, sustainable, and affordable. “I first came across Bloom at an Earth Day event in Anacostia,” she explained. “I didn’t even know what was in it at first, but I’ve had nothing but good things to say about the product. Our garden is thriving this year.”
Under Tamara’s guidance, the students are cultivating a wide mix of crops, including herbs, okra, marigolds, tomatoes, peppers, and squashes. Along the way, they’re learning not just how to garden, but about the cycles of reuse and renewal, with the help of Bloom. Tamara puts it simply: “Better to reuse it than lose it.”
