Eating Together

The silver rain, the shining sun,
The fields where scarlet poppies run,
And all the ripples of the wheat,
Are in the bread that we do eat.
So when we sit for every meal,
With thankful hearts we always feel,
That we are eating rain and sun,
And fields where scarlet poppies run.

As in most schools, at the Waldorf School of Baltimore all our students eat together at lunchtime. Something that sets Waldorf schools apart is that a poetic verse is recited by the students and teachers before every meal — a verse that brings full conscious intention to the act of consuming. Another thing setting us apart is that many classes prepare their food together. In the Children’s Garden, for instance, students and teachers prepare and share food everyday.
Preparing and sharing food as a group serves multiple sustainable functions. One obvious one is the fostering of community and social well-being which is the bedrock of all sustainability efforts. A less obvious one is resource efficiency. Preparing food as a group actually reduces your carbon footprint — you use only one stove, make one trip to the market, and produce less waste.
Our 3rd Grade prepares a meal together every Friday, and once a month a few parents come to help out. Above is their unique verse, and below are photographs taken on Friday, November 30th . . . Taco Day!