A teacher raises $200k for a school garden to reconnect kids with nature & alleviate food insecurity | Sonya Harris of Bullock Gardens

I am very excited to close this season of the podcast with Sonya Harris. Sonya is a special-ed teacher turned garden educator and philanthropist.  In 2017, she established the nonprofit Bullock Garden Project to share the joy of gardening with her community and help alleviate food insecurity. She teaches kids and adults to grow their own food. Her tireless work and enthusiasm has inspired many of her former students to pursue careers as future green industry leaders. 

Sonya’s work in garden-education began when she was looking for creative ways to teach her students math. As a teacher, she did whatever it took to get her kids to learn, and that sometimes meant taking lessons outside the four walls of the classroom. When she witnessed the success of her outdoors teaching experiment she got the idea to start a community garden. 

Sonya rallied together and was able to source nearly $200,000 in donations to put together a prolific school garden. This garden brought notoriety to her and her school, helped feed her students, and launched her second career into non-profit work full time. Since then, she has consulted countless schools, teachers, and town leaders on ways they can build a similar garden project in their own community. 

In our conversation we speak about the pandemic’s effects on food insecurity, the harsh realities of our desperately underfunded public schools, why teacher’s voices need to be heard, and the problem with politicizing education. We speak about how Sonya fell in love with gardening, how she was able to fundraise for her school, and why now more than ever, we need to prioritize kids’ health and wellbeing.

This is a story about the power a person has to do radical good, the importance of great teachers, healing communities through self-reliance, and the beauty of a life dedicated to service.

To read her full feature visit: www.urbanexodus.com/blog

Transcript

Unknown: 0:00

If we want to feed people, and we teach them how to grow the food that can nourish their bodies that can help them reduce diabetes, cholesterol, heart issues, things that can boost their kidneys or liver, their heart, their brain, your giving people life.

Alissa Hessler: 0:21

The urban Exodus podcast shares the wisdom, wit, and stories of those who decided to embark on the road less traveled to pursue their own interpretation of the good life, small business owners changemakers artists, farmers and more working towards building a better future for themselves and their fellow citizens. The people I've met through this project, give me energy and hope for a better future. May their inspirational words and practical advice embolden and guide you on your own journey. This podcast is for country dreamers, rural folk and urban dwellers alike who want to feel more connected to the natural world and the purpose and choices in their lives. I'm Alissa Hessler, welcome to the urban Exodus. Urban Exodus is a labor of love and it's only made possible by listener support. To support our programming, please consider making a listener contribution, or joining our Patreon community for access to bonus features, rapid fire interviews, videos, and so much more. I'm very excited to close this season of the podcast with Sonia Harris. Sonia is a special ed teacher, turned garden educator and philanthropist. In 2017. She established the nonprofit Bullock garden project to share the joy of gardening with her community and help alleviate food insecurity. She teaches kids and adults to grow their own food. her tireless work and enthusiasm has inspired many of her former students to pursue careers as future green industry leaders. Sonia's work in garden education began when she was looking for creative ways to teach her students math. As a teacher, she did whatever it took to get her kids to learn. And sometimes that meant taking lessons outside of the four walls of the classroom. When she witnessed the success of her outdoor teaching experiment, she got the idea to start a community garden. Sonia rallied together and was able to source nearly $200,000 in donations to put together a prolific school garden. The garden project brought notoriety to her in her school, helped feed her students and launched her second career in the nonprofit world. Since then, she has consulted countless schools, teachers and town leaders on ways that they can build similar projects and their own community. In our conversation. We speak about the pandemic's effects on food insecurity, the harsh realities of our desperately underfunded public schools, why teachers voices need to be heard. And the problem with politicizing education. We also speak about how Sonia fell in love with gardening and how she was able to fundraise for her school. And why now, more than ever, we need to prioritize kids health and well being. This is a story about the power a person has to do radical good, the importance of great teachers, healing communities through self reliance, and the beauty of a life dedicated to service. Quick note, my apologies for the sound in the interview. Sonia's dog was with her and we weren't able to take out all of the adorable barking Okay, so I am absolutely thrilled to have on the podcast, Sonia Harris. Sonia is the founder of the bullock garden project and the bullock children's garden. And Sonia was a teacher for over two decades. And she has just basically dedicated her life to the service of others and helping others and finding problems and coming up with solutions for those problems. And it's such an honor to speak with you today. Sonya and to see your beautiful face and share a little bit of your backstory, where you grew up and the journey that you've taken that has got you to where you are now.

Unknown: 4:40

I grew up here in South Jersey, this little suburb of Philly like when I was little we could literally go out into the street or go into the second floor in our house and watch the airplanes taking off from Philly airport. So you know that close? I just loved always loved being outside I've always been an outdoor person. And then when I became a teenager, you know, not so much I was more about, you know, I didn't want to be dirty or anything like that, like I was a little kid that we would have mud fights. My mom loved it, not really. But we were always outside. She always encouraged us to go outside and everything and taught us to love nature and appreciate it. But then like I said, as we grew up, we kind of strayed from that, you know, I wanted to be a teacher, I got into teaching. This is many years in a very small, very small synopsis. I taught special education for 25 years. And I loved every single second. I was not a gardener, I had never gotten to before in my life. But I was the teacher who went, Okay, if something's not working, what's going to help this work? And I said to my principal, Joe, what he was principal at the time, my friend, Joe dipalma. And he was like, okay, yeah, you want to do a garden, go for it. Came home message, met Hassan on Facebook, because he's the only kind of gardener I knew. And he had to show yard crashers at the time. Yeah, I messaged him, he found out very quickly, I knew nothing about gardening, sent me on this journey to learn. And I'm here. Like, I understood why it was important for kids. But my journey, honestly started the day after the garden was built. Because then I had started applying things. And because I had to learn, it really pushed me on this journey even further. And after about a year, I started the nonprofit block gardens project, just so we can help other teachers and we opened it up. And we started helping people around the world quite accidentally. But you know, I'm one of those people that believes there are no accidents, there's just happening, I am so glad that we took the steps. And yet, here I am today, I left teaching and 2019. So I could do this full time. You have

Alissa Hessler: 7:05

really dedicated your life to the service of others, and I so admire what you have built in your long career. And I wondered if you had any advice for people who want to get more involved and do good work in their community? Because I think that right now there's kind of this feeling of there are so many problems, that maybe I'm powerless to fix things,

Unknown: 7:27

everyone has power, everyone has power. And see, that's, that's one of the things like I grew up watching my parents, you know, be of service and giving back in different ways very involved in the community. So we were always raised with this idea of you live, yes, for yourself and your dreams. But you always also have to live to serve, you know, you should always be giving, and even our family vacation, so I remember that it was always okay, yes, we can do this, but there was always a learning component to it. So you know, we would do a lot of historical things. And what lessons did you learn? Or what can you do? And how can you improve your life and the lives of others from this, that is something that was we were just instilled with my entire life as long as I can remember. So growing up, you know, we always knew I always knew that I wanted to do something that was always helping. I was very involved in church, I was very involved in community in my high school. And, you know, I was going to go to school to college for business, because that's what my family did. That's what my parents did. That's what my brother went to college for. And it didn't take me long to realize that's not what my heart wanted. And I wanted to be an educator, especially everyone has to I'm gonna apologize for my dog. She thinks I'm having conversations with her. And today's a beautiful day and the door is also open. So Pomona is also she's my, she's my guest when I decided I was gonna go for special education. That was an accident. I took this course, it was the only thing that was open on intro to exceptionalities. And I fell in love with it. I fell in love with the fascination of working with people who had learning differences. It went from there. And I, I loved teaching and working in special education because it was always different. There was this clinical side to it. So it wasn't just that you were teaching and changing, you know, helping to change your life that way. But I took joy in seeing a child you know, you might be nine or 10 and you've never been able to write your name. And I'm thinking of a child right now who I had early in my career, got her to write an A because that was in her name. And that was so rewarding. Not just for me as an educator, but just the human side being able to see someone else get so much joy from Something that most people can do and take for granted. And I think that there is this joy, that is almost selfish for educators, I always say it's like our drug, we love seeing people achieve and learn. And we love that we were a part of that. And not in a in a potty type of way. But in a way that is very just like this is, you know, you don't teach for the corner office or the salary, you teach for the love, or the passion, and being able to see that always was so you know, just fulfilling, it's just something that I've always loved. And if there were causes that were important to my kids, to my students, I always jumped behind it. I've always been a person that, you know, humankind. Humankind is is what we're about, I always say my favorite quote is from the book, a Christmas, Christmas, Carol, and where he says, mankind is our business. But you know, I've changed say humankind is our business. And I believe that with every ounce of my being, so for me doing something like this, it's second nature. And also, you know, I'm a little older now. So things that happen along the journey of life really makes you see that, yes, like over the last two years, things have been not the norm. And I think that's, in a way, it's a good thing. There's this, if you have to look at a Silver Cloud, to something so horrific. The good thing is it's forced so many people to take that step back and look outside and see what's happening. So no one should feel helpless at all, and wondering where to start, just look around you and pick one thing, what are you the most passionate about?

Alissa Hessler: 11:50

If it's a place where your passions overlap with, you know, something that feeds you, then you're going to give it your all and you're going to commit to it. I'd love for you to reflect back on your time working as a special education teacher and the wisdom that you've gleaned from your students over the years.

Unknown: 12:11

So much Oh, my gosh, let me tell you, you cannot, you cannot be a person who is all about themselves and work with children. First of all, because children will call you out. You know, you might think you're looking really good one day, and they'll look at you like what is going on with your hair and you're like, Whoa. So the honesty that kids bring to the table is just that's one thing that I've always loved about working with kids. And something else that that really inspired me with working with children is the way they see the world is just like, hey, this is how it is. And why is this not right? You know, kids don't see black and white. I'm like kids see all that gray space. They see it and they call every adult out. Because of the gray space. They go. This is ridiculous. We don't understand why there's gray space here when there's right. There's wrong. There's Yes, we should and there's no we shouldn't, there's hot, don't touch it and there's colds. Okay. So I love that about children that they see the world just as it is. I go back to thinking right after I mean, a tragedy right after one of the school shootings that had happened. I was teaching third grade at the time. And unfortunately, we had a lockdown drill right after like the day after. And there's nothing like having to do lockdown drills with children. And sometimes we would do these drills and we didn't know it was a drill, we just knew we were locked down. And, you know, once it hit a certain amount of time, we would get really nervous. But you can't let this group of children that you have in a closet with you feel panic, you know, you're you're very soothing, you're very calm. And it was the day after it is just something that had happened in the neighborhood. And they locked the entire school down, just out of precaution. And I remember afterwards, the kids were just so they wanted to talk. And we sat and talked maybe for about an hour and a half just because the kids were like, well, I don't understand why but why is this happening? Or why does this happen? And trying to explain laws and logic and reason when it comes to why people do things they do and why these kinds of things happen in the world. And here we are, you have nine and 10 year olds like that doesn't make sense. And I'm like, You're right. It does not make sense. But you know, and one of the things they kept drilling me on is it and this was a class of both kids who were who had different types of learning differences and kids who did not kids were who were quote unquote, on level. So you have kids of just varying backgrounds. Very abilities. And one of the things that they were stuck on was, will you protect me? And that will always be something that helped to change my entire course of life. Because they just kept asking, but what if? What if someone gets in? What if and I finally had to stop and say, no matter what, I will always put you first, I will always protect you, I will always no matter what happens to me, you're here. And when you're here your mind, I will always protect you. And the kids were like, Okay. Like, once they got that in their head, like, Oh, you're going to always play for us. It's okay, that mom isn't here. Dad isn't here, grandma, grandpa, whoever. It's okay. Because you, you've got us. And I was like, Yeah, I've got you. The following years when I left, that was in 2018, I believe. And 2019 is when I left that stayed with me so much, because I was like, I promised these kids that I would always help them. But always helping them isn't 180 days, always helping them isn't between the hours of eight and three. And I'm one of those teachers who was always there. And you know, those kids don't realize that that changed me. Because I knew I wanted to do more. And that's when I really started thinking about, well, if something happens, do I feel like I've done enough? And my answer to myself was no, there's more you can do. And I thought about doing more with the garden, more with gardening doing more to help other places, other schools, other neighborhoods, just people grow food. And that was the point where I went, I'm going to be leaving teaching. Yeah, that group of children changed my life. And they don't even they don't even know. They don't even know it. But it's again, like I said, sometimes that it's things that are horrible. If you have to look at well, what changed? Or what did you learn? I stopped and said, I have to make sure that I can that I am an advocate because that's what I want to be. And, you know, you don't need to have the credit for it. All you need to do is know that you helped.

Alissa Hessler: 17:19

I mean, what a beautiful impact just like on a personal level, and then you know, kind of having that one moment be okay, you know what, I have more I can expand this out, I can do more. You know, I think that teachers really, I mean, obviously do not get the credit that they deserve, and nor do they get the pay that they deserve. And we have started to go kind of into this environment where like teachers are almost at odds with parents sometimes.

Unknown: 17:49

Yes. Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. I've had those moments to where I've had to say, this is your child. But I've had those moments where parents are like, Hey, I am one person. And for anyone who's listening, just as a little caveat, yes, your teachers have lives at home. You know, I was a single mom and I was working most often two jobs because I had my my teaching and I always worked part time, because most teachers do what they pay us is not enough. Yeah, and I wanted to get home to my son. So yeah, I had a lot of times we're parents yes, did ask a little. But I'm so thankful to say 99.9% of the time, parents worked with us as partners. So I just hope that that does continue. For my colleagues, still in the trenches.

Alissa Hessler: 18:43

You had this very long career in teaching. I wondered, in your opinion, what you think needs to change or shift and public education in order to provide the best possible environment for all children to learn and grow?

Unknown: 18:56

Oh, my goodness, that's a whole different soapbox. For me to get on. I think funding, I think the government needs to fulfill its promises. And like I said, I'm a special educator, but there was a promise that was made back where you know, they were going to fully fund, special education, pre K, all these other things that come through. And I don't know why providing the best for children is such a political hot topic. Everyone wants what's best for kids, and the people who have have the money to pull their kids out and put them into private schools. So people who don't we're just gonna want to use the public school system because I am not someone who's ever going to knock public schools. You know, we did a fabulous job in public schools. And public school has become a business and it's not because kids are not a commodity. I don't care what your politics are blue, red, purple, green, yellow, whatever. I don't care. There's none of that when it comes to making sure children have what they deserve what's a human right. And, you know, oh, we can't teach this, but we need to teach this. Everyone else needs to stay out of it. And it should be left up to educators. I don't think your your Secretary of Education should still have some ties to education. If you sit on a board of education, I think you should be mandated to take education courses to understand child behavior to understand curriculum, what that takes to, to teach what it takes to break down because we are agents of data and notes, teachers should be trusted to be the professionals they are. Because let me tell you what only things that I did not like I did not like when I had to work for someone who didn't have my area of expertise, you had no idea what it was to be a special educator, and who was telling me to do things that sometimes were not legal. And if I said no, because it's not code. It's not New Jersey six A, which is special ed code. I'm not doing that I can't take a child and solely work with this child who doesn't have an individualized education plan, who hasn't been classified as special education? Eligible? You know, I can't do that by law. And I was being told what just do it? No, it's doing it. Or, hey, we want you to be the special ed teacher or hey, you know, teachers are here, and you're supposed to do this. And I'm like, yeah, no, that is not my job. My job is to modify, you know, curriculum, or whatever it was. So to have people who didn't have our areas of expertise, tell us what to do was was frustrating because they didn't understand the craft. So I think everyone except for teachers has a seat at the table. And teachers are over here on the side going, when is someone going to listen to me?

Alissa Hessler: 21:54

It was kind of, in some ways, very opportune timing that you retired in 2019,

Unknown: 22:00

October 1 2019. And then the pandemic came around, I was like this, who?

Alissa Hessler: 22:07

I mean, obviously, you've been a teacher for so long, I'm certain that you still have, like most of your social circles and friends or teachers. How has that been for them?

Unknown: 22:19

They're going through it. I talked to them. I talked to them all the time, like really Daily. These are my family members, to me, and, and I do have a niece who teaches she went in her aunties footsteps. She's a special ed teacher. So, you know, listening to them. My heartbreaks, I've had friends leave the profession. And I mean, where they were like, Yeah, I'm gonna quit. They put in their notice. And they're gone within two weeks. And everyone says, It's not the kids. It's not the kids, these people love the children. And I mean, it breaks their hearts. I've been on the phone with them, and they're crying. They're like my kids, I love my kids. But because of this, this, this, this and this, and they're telling us to do this. And we know this isn't right. It's not the kids while they're leaving. It's not. It's breaking their hearts to leave. Like I said, we don't do this for the pay. You don't do it for a corner office. You don't do it for a bonus, because trust me, only thing that happens as your pay gets cut. My last year of teaching, I earned less than I had when I was a first year teacher 20 some years earlier, 24 years earlier. That's so exciting. Isn't that something about like, I'll never forget getting that paycheck. And I was like, and I went back because I kept my very first pay stub. And I went, I said, I gotta go look at this. Because I was a veteran teacher. There were more things taken out of my check. And I was like, like my son had was passed before that time. So, you know, I was no longer paying for his medical. So I was like, Yeah, I'm gonna have all this. More money in my check. No, I had so much less like 1000s less. Because I was a veteran. I was expected to pay a much higher percentage of my benefits. I usually don't mind but at that point, I was like, Yeah, I mind. I still have bills to pay for bills now. But yeah, yeah, teachers are, are leaving at a record number and it breaks my heart. Because I know how much I loved it. I know how many kids need this. And they need to have these teachers who are passionate that passion isn't doing it anymore. Start asking questions. Well, why why? Why do my teeth my kids, teachers don't have crayons? I can't tell you how, how much of my budget every year. And I mean, my personal budget went to my kids, I mean, 1000s of dollars that I would spend. And there were times that I even had to purchase Curriculum items because I didn't have the school budget for it. Or my school didn't Have that budget because we were First, Second. Third. You know, sometimes kids needed shoes, or coats. And teachers are passionate, there's so many things that we do that we don't tell people about. But we know our kids need. And that's just what we do. That's just what we do. And it's not just like I said, it's not just a small group, universal.

Alissa Hessler: 25:21

I just wanted to give an enormous thank you to all of the listeners who have made contributions towards the production of this podcast. Every season, I spent about 100 hours preparing, writing, editing, interviewing, sketching, distributing, and I have hard costs for my editor and hosting fees, it means so much to me that you find enough value and meaning in this work to pledge your support to keep it going. If you haven't had a chance to contribute, we've made it really easy, just click the support button on the top of urban exodus.com and pledge any amount that you like, or join the urban Exodus Patreon community, thank you again, I feel so lucky to be a part of the amazing global community that this project has manifested. Like teachers and farmers to it's like this idea of like giving back to their community, it's a calling and calling, like, it doesn't matter how much it pays or any of it, it should pay more. But like you feel called to it, you have to do it. And I think like one of the things, I have a lot of friends that are teachers, and one thing that parents can do if they just want to, like learn how they can help give back to their community is to talk to their kids teacher and see, are there any needs of students in your classroom? How can I fill those needs in a way that is, you know, anonymous, and doesn't single anybody out because teachers are the gatekeepers of so much of the need and that community, you know, what you have done since teaching is absolutely awe inspiring. And I know that you kind of started Bullock garden project in 2017. Before you left, I'd love for you to talk about how you got the initial idea for it, and how you went about getting it up and running. Oh, my

Unknown: 27:14

gosh, well, when I started the garden at the school that like I said, That was in 2015. And it was just me being a teacher who said there has to be a way that we can reach these kids. So we were out there trying everything we could to get the kids to really to hold on to the information, because it was a spiral, you're presented information, then it goes away. And you might not see it again until you hit third grade. And I was a first grade teacher when I started this. So after the garden is up and running, and I told you like my experience really started the day after this project had been done. And because I was a teacher, I kept a giant binder like one of those five inch binders that was filled with all of my notes. And everything was anything I had collected or ideas I had. It was everything but it was in this binder. And on the binder I had blocked garden project. So after it was done, and we had a good year under our feet, I should say under our fingernails stick along with the garden analogy. Our superintendent who was very supportive of this from the start, and I have to I have to give him his his credit here because he had no idea what I was doing. I was just like, I'm gonna do a garden here. And we had all these arrangements for all these people coming from all over the US and they were descending on this little town and you know, we're going to build a Spartan, he kind of found out about it about a month before it was going to happen. And he saw me and I was like, oh, no, I hope he doesn't ask me what this is. And he was in our school and there's signs up, your garden is coming, your garden is coming. And he saw me with what is this garden and I was like, oh, jelly. And thank God that he was like, Okay, next thing I know, this man sent me a personal check, you know, and he was like, use this for the project. And if there's any problems, let me know. And I'll handle it. And he was really wonderful. And he taught me not how to get around the school board. But there were things that the school had to answer for. And like, how many plants what kind of plant what is the market value per plant? Because all of these things were being donated. I would go to him like Dude, I don't know. I don't I don't know what these plants are. I don't know how to research this stuff. I don't know anything about this. I'm just coordinating and showing up for it. Like if that was my attitude then like, I don't know this is being done but I'm not a gardener. I have no idea. And he kind of helped me go this is how you should do it. This is how legally held you can do this. You can group it together like this. You can say this, and he showed me more as like Not how to get around and how to navigate donations to a public school from businesses. Our Secretary of Agriculture here in New Jersey, Doug Fisher had come and he was part of it, like this man got dirty. And so he knew I was doing this. I had some eyes on us because I was doing something that was not done in the state. There were schools that have gardens or gardening, after school programs, but no one had made it part of the curriculum. And that's really what I wanted to do was embedded in the curriculum, have students ownership of it, because I always told the kids, it doesn't belong to me who's it belong to? And if you like us, and I'm like, yes, it's your garden. Because you market it like you do Froot Loops. This is the cereal that you want them to say eat big if you're if you're, you know, whatever company General Mills, you want them to eat the cereal. So you put it in the middle, and you have all these flashy commercials. And I was like, we have to sell it to the kids like, like, it's Froot Loops. And the kids bought it. And they had that ownership. And their ownership drove what I did as the planter as the person who was like the coordinator, but it also helped drive teacher curriculum and learning because the teachers would take the curriculum, go, oh, I can connect that to the garden. And then they would implement this in class. So they were building project based learning, based on garden education, work started getting out, we'll lock garden, and I won awards for this. And then my superintendent started sending me go talk to the school, go talk to that superintendent, and schools would want to come down and he'd say, yeah, it's okay, you can take the day off and go talk to them. And I had that binder with me bullet point and project. So I said, Oh, I'm here to talk about the bullock cart project. So when I had to come up with a name and 2017, for the nonprofit, I said, Well, I'm gonna just call it bullock cart and project because the binders right. And we really founded it, I had some some friends who were in education, or who worked with children in some way. And we started this because I want it to be able to help teachers in New Jersey, navigate the system the same way I was taught how. So it's not about like I said, it's not about getting something over on your school board. It's understanding No, this is how you need to present it to them. This is how we can do this. So you know, you can get this passed through because teachers are passionate, and we will present something in our passionate way. And I could stop and say, let's look at test, let's look at, you know this, let's look at that, because I know the questions that are going to be asked, and then I can help them build that proposal to say we'd like to have a garden at our school. And if you want to have donated items, I can get those items for you, me and my team, we can get those items, and then you're getting one donation. So that's really how I started the loch garden project. And when we first released our very first website, and we just put it out there, we never expected people around the globe to contact us. And I mean, I have a good friend now in South Africa, my friend, Nicole, and we help her and her school in South Africa. And you know, as friends in New Zealand, and Australia, and Vancouver, Canada, and in the UK, almost everywhere. It all started because we didn't know how to make a website that only was a trust to the US, and how to say yes, only New Jersey. And it's been wonderful. I'm so glad we didn't, because it really has been a wonderful thing. So when it came time when I was telling you about the story when I knew I was going to be leaving teaching, and I wanted to do this full time. You know, I have to say, I'm not a very religious person, but I'm a very spiritual person. And I kind of said to the universe, you know, if you open the doors, I promise I'll walk through, and the doors flung open. And I have stepped through everyone. And I've been thankful for every single door that opens, because I pledged that I was going to live this life of service. And I'm able to when you do things from your heart for the right reasons. And trust me, it takes daily practice and daily meditation to make sure you're self checking that you're always coming from a genuine place. Good things happen. And it's not just about doing this, it's about anything. I lived my dream career. So I started out in business and went to education because that's what my heart wanted. So I got to live my dream. So it was never, you know, people say, if you do your dream or do what you love, you'll never work a day in your life. That's not true, because you will work but you appreciate it in a different way. You use a different love that you have for it. So being an educator is something that's going to be with me my entire life, I'm never going to put it down, I'm always going to refer to myself as an educator, not a retired educator, an educator, because that's what I'm here to do. I'm here to teach, I'm here to help people.

Alissa Hessler: 35:16

You still are an educator, because your work through this project is teaching other people how to do what you already did creating, like more of a shortcut a pathway to this, because it was a tremendous undertaking, to get this off the ground because of all of the red tape, I'd love for you to speak about your journey into gardening and how that has Oh, my gosh, like your physical, mental, emotional health?

Unknown: 35:44

Oh, let me tell you, I always laugh. Because like I said, I was, you know, the Jersey girl the nails out here, I tell people all the time, like I was, you know, very much into what I was wearing, you know, I wasn't dressing to the nines to go teach. But, you know, there's days where I was like, I'm not painting today, or I'm not getting on the floor today. Because you know, these pants cost this or I'm wearing these shoes, because they cost this and I love them. You know, I was that was me. I loved clothes and fashion. And I went every two weeks and had my nails and my hair done and all of that. And then I start learning about gardening. And I really have to give that credit to amid Hassan four started me on that learning journey, where he looked at this girl very quick. And well, he heard because we were on the phone and he went, Wow, she knows nothing. Because he asked me what do you want to grow? When I called him about, hey, can you help us grow a garden here? And he talked to me said, Well, what do you want to grow? And I said, Well, tomatoes? And he goes, Well, why? And I said, well, that we're in Jersey, that's what we do. And he said, That's not what you do. And I said, Yes, it is. We do Jersey fresh tomatoes like Jersey tomatoes, and jersey, white corn. That's what we do. And he was like, actually, Jersey is known for blueberries and cranberries. And I was like whatever, bro, let me tell you, we do corn and tomatoes. You don't eat them any type of here, unless they're Jersey fresh. That's it. And I mean, this shows the beginning of the I know nothing. So he sent me off to read and to learn. So I read like Richard Blum and Child in the Woods, vitamin N, and learned about all of this. And I could connect it knowing, you know, as a parent, who raised a child, and I was like raising him the way I was like, get outside, get outside and play. And as a teacher seeing kids who have like, I can't wear these because they're my new Jordans. And I would get it at that time because I was like, Oh, I get it. Because I'm wearing my new shoes too. We could stand over here and not like, we'll just chat. You know, I'm reading all of this stuff. And I started really going well, like outdoor play is critical. This is really important. And we need to do this. And children should be doing this. And it's not like you don't know it as an educator. But your head gets so filled with, you've got to do this. And you have to do this. And there's that regiment that comes back. And I started really going back to No, no, no, we really have to look at hold child development, are we meeting all of the child's needs. And as an adult, I was reading vitamin in going, oh my gosh, nature deficit disorder. That's absolutely the only time I'm out in nature is once a year when we go to the shore for a week, or we go to Disney and I'm walking outside that's close to nature as I was really, really get it outside of going on a recess when you have to go or in and out the car, and you're outside for a minute. So when the goat when the garden was finished being built at Bullock, and I had to really be engaged with these plants, and I'm FaceTiming Bri and a med going What is this? How do I take care of it? What is this? Is this a weed or is this a plant? What was the name of this one? What can we eat this? Could we not you know, all of that. I knew I had to do this I had to try it. So there were a lot of shrubs on the outside of the house. I had the shrubs in the back of the house all cut down and pulled. And I started at this little garden. And I had no clue what I was doing. All I did was look on YouTube and text my friends who I met through this and just figured it out. And I grew all these tomatoes and string beans and peppers. And that was it. I was like I'm done. Because what I started noticing was the more time that I spent in the garden with the kids at school and my garden at home. I felt so great. I felt so connected. And I felt like this void in my life had been filled. And I looked back and I remember all of those hours like I said earlier about I was working till 10am Back at night at school, I was doing all of this stuff. But I wasn't living, I wasn't connecting with anything. I was a single mom, who was taught to have these values and everything else. But I turned into this workaholic. And it was work, work, work, work work, because I had to think of the kids and I had to think of my son. And I had to think of like all of these other things. And I never thought of myself. In this process, I went from collecting shoes, and I still love shoes. But I really found a joy that they could not fill, like, all of that superficial stuff wasn't filling that void that so many of us have. And I really, truly believe that void that people try to fill with jewelry, and houses and all of this other stuff that doesn't matter when you're gone. I really think that if people really got out and started engaging with nature, again, you would really feel that, because that's what I felt I found this joy. And this piece, I found in this journey, self satisfaction and love because air I was my little hands, were helping to grow something. And there's nothing like it sounds so hokey, but my God, there is nothing like taking a seed, putting it in the ground, nurturing that baby for 100 days, 120 days, whatever it takes to get it to fruit to get it to harvest. And that is something that's so special. And I take such a joy in doing that.

Alissa Hessler: 41:46

I mean, you talking about gardening, I feel the exact same way I was so so detached from it, like I couldn't keep like a basil plant from Trader Joe's alive before I left the city. And I do think like moving into a rural space where all of a sudden, you can't ignore nature, you're more connected to it and then trying to garden. And even if you're failing at it, you're still succeeding. It was amazing. Like, you know, some things would go away. But there was still so many fruits of my labor that I enjoyed that first, like couple years and then, you know, some years like one crop will get all wiped out. But the next year, like something else will be bountiful. And I don't know, I just think there are so many lessons.

Unknown: 42:37

There are. And I I tell people all the time when they go Oh, but I kill plants. I'm like, if you have not killed a plant, you're not a real gardener. And you every time that you think you fail, you didn't you learned. And I got to circle back to children. What an amazing lesson that is to teach children. Just because that failed. You didn't fail. You learned, you had to go back and learn. Well, what was it about that plant that didn't make it live? Or didn't make it true? What was it what happened? And then you take your lesson, and do it all over again. And I think that is amazing. I think it's amazing. So I'm like, No, you are a gardener if you've killed some.

Alissa Hessler: 43:21

Absolutely. It teaches you patience. It teaches you like dance, dance, yes. And that like trying and failing, and you can still be successful, even if you try and fail. Now the garden has been established for five years. And I know that, you know things have kind of shifted, your focus has shifted with the pandemic, because obviously, you saw a lot of the problems in your community already. But the curtain really rolled back and made people so much more aware. And so I wondered what changes you've noticed in your community since your garden has been established, and also the changes that COVID has had on the impact on your community

Unknown: 44:06

COVID Really, really brought to light so much. And what something is that I feel like the reasons why this work was important to me. Everyone got to see. And that's something that I'm gonna say being a person of color. You're not used to. I was always my entire career. I was always one of two, or you know, one of few people of color in the schools where I taught. So in the districts where I've worked, it was very possible for a child to go from pre K to I'm going to say eighth grade without ever having a teacher of color. And it's not like these are really rural communities. These are suburban communities. The schools have all been pretty Even with, you know, race makeup, but the fact that your teachers did not reflect your population has always been something. And even though yes, my my concern is for all children, absolutely, there is something as a teacher who is of African descent, where I'm always going to look at the plates of my own community, the the joys, the celebrations of my own community, and how those affects my my students who look like me, just because I think that's natural, I think that's just something that that people of color just do naturally. So knowing that black and brown communities were historically marginalized, historically, fleeced in places that they had no option of moving from, you don't have the option of moving to a better store, you're closer to a better store, you have to stay in certain places, because this is the way the country is run the way politics and money really money goes, you've been forced to be into this box. And I know that when I was teaching, the majority of my students who were black and brown came from the low income communities, not all, but quite a few. So when I was really looking at food security awareness, I knew the words, but I could not explain it to so many of my colleagues, because they hadn't see they don't see what I've had the opportunity of seeing in my life. I've known people who've lived that life. I've seen it for myself, because I have friends or family or whatever, who been raised in these communities. So it's always been a part of my life, my entire life. So it's always been something that for me, it's always secondary, I shouldn't say there's always like this main vision, but there's always the secondary thought, right? Go, how's this going to impact the kids who live in public housing, here and here, because the school where I was, it was bordered on two of the sides by public housing, on on one side by a park, and then the very front of the school, you could drive down that street and go, What a lovely little neighborhood. Oh, this is so quaint. And then you go back down around the side. And, you know, I mean, my my, one of my best friends, my teaching partner that I was with, for like, 10 years, me and her one day stood at the window, and we were watching drug deals happen. This one apartment window. So we kind of like, had to, you know, send a little message, like, hey, there's some stuff happening out of this window back here. And, you know, it was in full view of our classroom. But if you weren't in the room with us, you couldn't see that, you know, having now this through COVID. And through everything that happened, all of the horrible things that happened with people being gunned down, or killed because of their color was shoot first and ask questions later, it really put a highlight on what was happening in black and brown communities. So people started noticing, like, wait a minute, what do you mean, they don't have access to food? What do you mean, these people don't have access to food. All of a sudden, I hear these people saying things that I've been saying for years. And seeing for years where me and my teaching partner, missy, would go and take kids lunch bills, because that was the only way they could eat a school lunch. We knew that was happening well, before 2015, when the garden was at Bullock, well, before I started that, we knew that this was common practice. And of course, it's your kids who can't afford it. We're having these lunch bills. And you know, their parents were sending them to school with a snack because that's all they can afford. And, you know, we were really impacted by that. When you see kids starve, where you see kids steal food from someone else's lunchbox because they want to take that home and feed siblings. You don't just get over that. So making sure people ate was always something I was really passionate about making sure my students ate and having the garden at school. New Jersey is one of the few states at least at the time, it was built in 2015. We were one of the few states that whatever your kids grew on campus, they could have cooked and eaten prepared by the school cafeteria. So the kids got to eat a lot of what was in the garden and they knew if they wanted to take anything home. Fine, you could do that. It was there for the community. You know, because poverty and food injustice does not have a color. And what COVID did COVID took people who had never in their lives thought that they would have an issue with food insecurity. It took people who were from to you know, had two jobs mom and dad Add two jobs, maybe each of them working and earning five figures or even six figures. If your job shut down, I met people who, who lost their jobs, and were trying to figure out how to get food. Because they had enough money to keep their bills going. We had people who had no idea how to get food. And they were like, we don't have enough to divide between paying for food and paying for bills. So it was then, you know, really coming to grips if there is a new face to food insecurities. My friend Nate reached out to me who is a farmer who put together this coop gardens permission. And it really had people from around the globe. And we were all just a bunch of people who said, Okay, we know how to get food here. We know how to grow it. How can we teach people what we know. And that's really how BGP took the shift, to say, we're not just going to help children grow food, we're going to help everyone we can grow food. Because we, we really saw these faces. I worked in food pantries, I volunteered, I saw people come in, they're embarrassed and crying. And going, I don't know how to feed my kids. You know, I'm just trying to keep a roof over our heads. I was moved. And I just kind of said, Our organization can no longer be in this box, we can no longer just say we're going to help schools, schools, yes, that's our heart. For our soul has to be helping everyone grow food, having helping everyone get access to food. So we really pivoted, and we started rescuing foods, like okay, grocery stores that were still in business, we were going to Whole Foods and Trader Joe's and all those places that we could get food, they were calling us, like, Hey, we've got food, it has to be gone by this time, or it's going in the dumpster. And I mean fresh food, not like it was going bad. But the stores were getting it in and going. We can't sell this, we can't resell it. And there were some restrictions on also what you could get, you know, I'd get on the phone and call my friend and Philly and go, Hey, Trader Joe's in Cherry Hill, we can go there. And all of us would just swarm on to these stores. And we were even rescuing plants because they were not allowed to sell them. They weren't allowed to sell them. So we were rescuing even plants. And I remember like we were taking plants to the Ronald McDonald House and local ones, because we were like, hey, yes, they can't sell them. We can rescue him. But we can make sure they brighten someone's day, and taking pastries and different things like that to anyone who we thought could use them to, you know, dropping them off at hospitals to to be used for the the rescue workers there. I've never put so many miles on that poor little car than I did. The pandemic because we drove up and down the state, just trying to find as many places as we could, and connecting with other people who were trying to do well for their communities and saying, Hey, I might not have food. But if you put this tomato in the ground, give it about a month, and it's going to be bustling with tomatoes. And they were doing it. So we really got to see how critical it is that people know how to have food independence. Food is an equalizer. access to healthy food is an equalizer. If you go on Amazon, and I'm sorry, but now I'm on the soapbox. But if you go on Amazon and you search, what can I buy with SNAP benefits and that's the subsidized benefits. You're gonna see a lot of candy, a lot of snack food, a lot of junk food, a lot of unhealthy foods. But if we want to feed people, and we teach them how to grow the food that can nourish their bodies that can help them reduce diabetes, cholesterol, heart issues, things that can boost, you know, their functioning their kidneys or liver, their heart, their brain. You're giving people life. Why are we not doing this naturally?

Alissa Hessler: 54:20

We're only a couple generations removed from a time when everybody had like kitchen gardens basically.

Unknown: 54:25

Yes. Well, here I am talking I'm 50. And I'm talking about my mother who raised us this way. I mean, I remember when we were sick and she would go out to the SassaFrass tree that was in the backyard because we also had peach trees and apple trees and I mean a very small a small yard. And my mom made sure this place was stacked with things that were good for her raising her children. And she would go cut the bark of that SassaFrass tree and steep it and we would drink SassaFrass tea because it had so many health benefits, you know for her children, she was dealing her children with what she had. That is one generation. And I almost was at risk for losing that.

Alissa Hessler: 55:09

So um, yeah, I could talk with you all night. But I know that your nieces called you twice, I'm feeling guilty. I want her to be able to speak with you tonight. All ended on like this one quote that you said, which I think that it embodies you and your work. When we plant the seeds in the lives of our children, the harvest society will reap is filled with endless possibilities. And I mean, when I read it, it gave me goosebumps. And it's so true.

Unknown: 55:38

It is so true. And I full heartedly believe that like I that is that quote. And that was not something that I was going to like put on a website or anything. That is something one of my team members said, and I mean, I said it, but they were like, that really speaks to everything you do. And I was like, that's because I truly believe that I believe that if we, you know, green industry, anyone who's working in the green industry, anything, stop going to high schools and go to your elementary schools, because that's where you inspire them. So when I hear about these kids who are going into ninth and 10th grade, oh my god, I can't believe I'm this old that I started gardening. seniors in high school, these kids were babies to me. And they want to pursue green industry careers. I'm excited because you were inspired when you were in third, fourth grade over a garden. What? Yes, that's what we should be doing. So go out there and inspire some children, you can get the children, that's your gateway to the families. So everyone, just please get out there and give back, give back to your teachers. Give back to your schools. Give back to your community. And if you are growing something, I always tell people plant one more. Because that one plant that you are that one seed that you've planted, dedicate everything from that one plant to someone else. Just please do it. That's how we're going to make this change. And change is happening. We are there's more of us than there are of anyone else. You just please make that change. And yes, keep those seeds growing.

Alissa Hessler: 57:28

Sonia, it has been just an absolute to speak with you. I am gonna cry too. My eyes are like tearing you. Oh my god. Yeah, you're just one of the most remarkable people I've ever met. And how can people support your mission and your work?

Unknown: 57:49

Oh, my gosh, you can go to block b u ll o CK garden. project.org. That's our website. And it is not maintained. And I'm gonna tell you, it's because we are working. And we do all that ourselves. So the website takes a backseat. But you can find me across all social media under NJ garden teacher, it just where you can reach out, you can reach out to us. We take all kinds of donations, we have schools that we work with, if you want to even just give back to a specific school or grade level. It doesn't have to be money, it can be packs of seeds. I mean, we try and keep these schools, in gardening supplies, at no cost to the teacher or the school. And the same with families that need and we know who needs they've already come to us. If you want to do good. And pay a site owner just get involved. Send us a message. We'll get it and we'll get back to them. Thank you. And plant one more.

Alissa Hessler: 58:49

Thank you again Sonia for joining us on the show. Some of my key takeaways from this episode. Everyone has the power to enact positive change in the world. Let Sonia story be proof of the impact that one passionate person with good intentions can create. Let this also be a call to action. For those of you who are parents, participate in your school. Give back to and appreciate your teachers and take an interest in the financial choices made by your school. It is absolutely appalling that teachers should have to use their own money to buy school supplies for their classrooms. Listen to teachers advocate for teachers. Most people go into the profession with the best of intentions and a love for helping children. Listen to what they have to say, because our teachers are hurting right now. And they provide an absolutely essential service to the world. Also, growing food is empowering. Even if it's just some herbs on a fire escape or a couple of raised beds in your yard. In our modern world. We outsource too much watching something grow from seed to play It is absolute magic. And once you get started, I doubt you'll want to stop. And with that, I just wanted to thank you for tuning in to the fourth season of the podcast. I never imagined that we would get this far when I started recording interviews back in 2020. I am so honored to get to do this work. And I really appreciate the wonderful community that this project has created. You all give me so much hope for the future. So thank you for that. And I also wanted to take a quick moment to thank my incredible team, my amazing content producer Simone Leon, you are my rock, and I so appreciate you. Thank you for your organizational skills, your ability to translate my ramblings, your belief in me and this project, I honestly would be banging my head against my desk without you and to my editor Johnny Saul, thank you for your energy, your enthusiasm and your incredible attention to detail. And thank you to my music maker Benjamin birtherism. Tune in next week for a season finale bonus feature. The tables will turn and Simone will actually be interviewing me about my journey from city to country life. After that, we're going to take a couple of months off to focus on some other exciting new things in the works. But I look forward to sharing Season Five with you towards the end of summer. Until then, keep growing, doing good and supporting small. I'm Alissa Hessler, and this is the urban Exodus. Hi, friends, thank you so much for tuning in to another episode of the urban Exodus podcast. This project is made possible by listener support. I do this work because the people I meet through this project give me hope for the future. And I think we could all use a little more motivation and inspiration in this current moment in history. All of the work that I do through this project is to encourage people to believe in themselves and to work towards a better future for their community and for our planet. Your continued support will keep this passion project running. The easiest way to contribute is to click the support button on the top of urban exodus.com and pledge any amount that you like, or you can buy an ad spot and upcoming episode. Shop our online store of early made goods. Or join our Patreon community for access to bonus features, rapid fire interviews with podcast guests, videos, live presentations, and so much more. Visit patreon.com/urban Exodus. Another way to support is by giving us a five star rating on iTunes and recommending urban exodus to your friends. Thank you again for helping me continue to do this work. I couldn't do this without all of you. You can find urban Exodus on Instagram and Facebook at the Urban exodus to read more in depth features on folks who ditch the city and when country visit urban exodus.com Until next time, I'm Alissa Hessler and this is the urban Exodus