Sharon Hood grew up with a tiny, mostly-concrete backyard in Baltimore. Nature, for her, was only a few roses her mother grew.
Now, she’s in charge of a 10-acre farm and helps over 1,000 students at McDonogh School in Owings Mills.
“If someone calls me Sharon,” said “Farmer” Hood, “I kind of get blindsided by it.”
Hood is a recipient of the Elizabeth Abernathy Hull Award for Early Environmental Education for her dedication to Roots Farm and farm education at McDonogh School.
The award, sponsored by The Garden Club of America, recognizes educators who help further “the early environment education of children.” Hood was named one of this year’s 30 recipients across the country. Each recipient of the award receives $1,000. A member of Baltimore County’s Halten Garden Club nominated her.
“I can’t believe I’m doing this, and I’m back in the city,” Hood said. “That award meant a lot. I was absolutely floored and surprised by me ever winning something like that.”
Hood is the co-founder and director of Roots Farm at McDonogh School. She helped start the farm in 2009, where it has since grown into a 10-acre “oasis” used for exploring wildlife, harvesting crops, preparing farm-to-table recipes and more.
The program teaches students in all grade levels about the importance of the environment and food insecurity, she told Baltimore Fishbowl. Starting in first grade, students harvest San Marzano tomatoes. The following year, second graders work as a team to make tomato sauce. Eventually, the sauce is sold to local businesses and food banks in Baltimore.
“It’s pretty much like learning in a jar,” Hood said. “For each jar sold, $1 is donated to the Maryland Food Bank to support the No Kids Go Hungry project.”
Hood said up to 8,000 pounds of produce are donated to the Reisterstown Crisis Center and Maryland Food Bank every year. The school’s dining hall also gets 3,000 to 4,000 pounds. She hopes the award will raise awareness for more schools to invest in farm-to-table programs.
“For 25 years, she has engaged students in agriculture, environmentalism, and healthy eating through this innovative program,” reads the GCA Hull Award website. “Sharon’s hands-on approach allows young people to experience the complete cycle of food production while learning sustainable farming practices.”
Founded in 1992, the award is named after Elizabeth Abernathy Hull, an advocate of environmental education and conservation. It celebrates educators who share her “common-sense approach to environmental awareness by inspiring children under the age of sixteen to appreciate the beauty and fragility of our planet.”
“I have a chef who’s a woman, and I have a beekeeper who’s a woman,” Hood said. “I think that really shows a lot to our girls, that it’s not just a man’s field, but anyone can do it.”
Hood said she always enjoyed science and the outdoors growing up. When she got to McDonogh in 2001 as a kindergarten teacher, her favorite subject to teach was science. Now, she has her dream job.
“At the end of the day, they’re learning that they have a big impact on the land,” she said. “Have more respect for food, and that food just doesn’t come in a package, that’s a big thing. Our food, all of our produce, that has a purpose and a place.”
