Think of the last meal you ate. Do you have any idea where the fruits and/or vegetables in it came from? Where they were grown?

Dave Friend – more commonly known as Mr. Organic – wants the next generation of kids to know the answer to this question. The international educator who’s spoken to schools about the important of organic and local food around the country, and a few abroad, has struck a deal with Vantreight Farms to host Mr. Organic’s Summer Camp.

“Here’s a classic example,” said Friend. “I went to one school here on the peninsula, to give my presentation What is Food and Where Does it Come From? And one kid, a seven-year-old, had a response for me: it comes from God and he sends it to Thrifty’s. That’s what he thought and he lives here.”

The summer camp is geared towards kids ages seven to 14. Camp attendees get a chance to grow food from scratch and learn about a host of things: integrated pest management, creating raised beds, vermiculture, plant based sprays, irrigation, companion planting, transplanting, composting, inter-cropping and crop rotation. A small plot has been set up at the back of the massive greenhouse at Vantreight Farms so camp attendees will literally work alongside growers and farmers within the company.

Friend, a certified organic commercial grower and experienced public speaker on the subject, is teaming up with Vantreights head grower Eric Doublier, who came from working at an organic farm in Seattle about a year ago. Originally from France, Doublier said the idea is to increase awareness, and hopefully educate the kids, equipping them with the tools to become responsible eaters when they’re adults.

“It’s important to the kids because I think it’s great for the kids to know where their food comes from,” said Doublier. “And only five to seven per cent of the vegetables we eat are produced on this island. More than 90 per cent come from California or Mexico, and so we want to teach the kids things like this and get them concerned about the future of local, organic foods.”

Aside from the summer camp, Friend has also inked a full-year deal with Vantreights and the local school districts to have classes take regular field trips to learn about organic food. Friend will lead them through presentations, videos, then harvesting in the field. He’s also set up school gardens in the past.

However Friend wants to keep the camp fun for the kids, handing out Mr. Organic’s Diploma of Dirt to graduates of the week-long programs.

“I want it to be curriculum based in an organized and structured environment,” said Friend. “But I also want them to have fun doing it too.”

For information on Mr. Organic’s Summer Camp call davefriend@friendlyorganics.ca.