Who’s Gonna Water My Tomatoes?

“Who’s Gonna Water My Tomatoes? is a must read for those in education exploring beyond traditional models. With deep insights into Edible Education, the author reveals the transformative impact of food literacy programs on students. Drawing from John Dewey’s timeless philosophy, the book illustrates how education can jump conventional boundaries, empowering children with essential life skills. A compelling blend of history and practical wisdom, it’s a testament to the profound benefits of shaping future generations through experiential learning while inspiring them to have a healthy relationship with the food they eat.”

Dylan Wilson, Executive Director, Buena Vista Edible Schoolyard

"The author has masterfully captured the very essence of the Edible Schoolyard, intertwining the experiential, hands-on journeys of students from the garden to the kitchen. The book details the transformative process of planting, nurturing, and harvesting, and aligning with the essential culinary experiences where wholesome, tasty recipes are prepared and savored. This dynamic and seasonal seed-to-table cycle is where true learning occurs, as knowledge and experiences in the garden translate into lasting, healthy eating behaviors and practices. Through the pages of this book, readers will witness a transfer of wisdom and practical skills, fostering a new generation of mindful eaters and gardeners. This unique combination not only educates but inspires, making the book a mustread for anyone passionate about sustainable living and the profound impact of experiential learning."

RJ Valentino, President, Grimm Family Education Foundation

"Michael Szolowicz’s volume provides a theoretically grounded account of school gardens and kitchens amidst multiple, complex influences on public education, including externalized accountability, pressures for curriculum standardization, climate change, and a pandemic among others. There has been a growing interest in school gardens and kitchens in recent years. Szolowicz’s volume is unique in that it builds upon historical lessons from John Dewey to demonstrate how students learn from experience with food as a source of nourishment and community. The book is well grounded theoretically with examples that engage the reader in possibilities for authentic education beyond individualism and standardization."

Dr. Rose M. Ylimaki, Del and Jewell Lewis Endowed Chair in Educational Leadership, Northern Arizona University

"Who’s Gonna Water My Tomatoes: School Gardens, Kitchens, and the Search for Educational Authenticity is a rich resource that provides a healthy (literally) food for thought for educators to move students from being full of skills to skillful. Showing himself to be a thorough student of John Dewey and others, Szolowicz, an experienced researcher-practitioner, aptly provides a rich menu for learning-hungry students, innovation-driven teachers, curriculum designers, transformative leaders to cultivate authentic place-based learning at schools. Readers will particularly find effective pedagogical strategies that can reify ecological, scientific and all literacy skills while producing healthy fruits for the benefit of everyone at schools and communities at large. Grounded in prominent epistemologies and rich research, the book serves as a didactic and practical recipe and actionable manual that takes holistic learning-teaching and empowerment to the higher levels. It is a must-read volume!"

Mahmoud Suleiman, Ph.D., Interim Director, Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership, California State University, Bakersfield

"In Who’s Gonna Water My Tomatoes? Szolowicz clearly articulates “the why” and “the how” as it applies to the need for all schools to create edible schoolyards. Furthermore, and perhaps most importantly, Szolowicz shares exactly how schools can aim to incorporate edible school-yards in the process of educating their students."

Dr. Denver J. Fowler, Associate Dean, Graduate and Undergraduate Studies, California State University, Bakersfield

List of Tables

Acknowledgments

Foreword
Dr. John Stark

Chapter 1. Introduction

Chapter 2. Engaging Education in an Age of Standardization

Chapter 3. Edible Schoolyards Yesterday and Today

Chapter 4. Self-Determination Theory and Edible Schoolyards

Chapter 5. Leadership for Edible Schoolyards

Chapter 6. Favorite Projects for Learning

Chapter 7. Breaking Down the Walls Between Edible Schoolyards and Classrooms

Chapter 8. Starting an Edible Schoolyard

Chapter 9. Conclusion

Appendix A: Garden Lesson

Appendix B: Kitchen Lesson

Appendix C: Recipes

Appendix D: Resources

Author Biography

Index

Michael A. Szolowicz

Michael Szolowicz is an associate professor in the School of Social Sciences and Education at California State University, Bakersfield, and the Advanced Educational Studies department chair. He teaches in the Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership, Educational Administration, and Curriculum and Instruction programs. His research interests explore the intersections of educational reform, politics, history, curriculum, philosophy, and democratic schooling. His work regarding resistance to the Common Core standards and state-mandated standardized testing has been published in Educational Policy Analysis Archives and Teachers College Record. Previously, he served as a history teacher, assistant principal, and principal in urban, suburban, and rural public comprehensive high schools, where he focused on developing literacy across content areas, promoted critical thinking, and developed inclusive communities. He earned his Master's in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University and his Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy from the University of Arizona.