Family Farm in Oregon Grows Crops to Share South Asian Cuisine With Its Community
Ask students: Why did this family decide to grow vegetables that are different from what most people are growing?
A family farm in Oregon is unlike most here in the U.S. Sandeep Pillai of our journalism training program, PBS News Student Reporting Labs, spoke with the farm's owners about the connection between their South Asian heritage and the crops they grow.
View the transcript of the story.
Discussion Questions
- Where is the family's farm located?
- What is the name of the market garden that the family owns?
- Why did this family decide to grow vegetables that are different from what most people are growing?
- Who is Aanandhi Ganesh?
- How does this family use their vegetables to spread and embrace their Indian culture and heritage?
Focus Questions
- When Lakshmi Tata spoke of "the power seed," what deeper meaning was she pointing to beyond simply putting seeds in the ground?
- Lakshmi Tata mentions the importance of getting children involved. What role do children and the younger generation play in preserving and sharing cultural traditions? How can involving children in activities like planting, cooking, storytelling and creating music help them connect with their heritage and strengthen community bonds?
- Media literacy: Who else do you think could have been interviewed to help provide a fuller picture of the farm's impact on the community?
Extension Activity
Write about one meaningful family practice or valued family custom — this could be a special dish, a song, a dance, a celebration or any custom important to you and your family. Then, pair up with another student or form small groups to share stories with at least two classmates. What are some of the connections between your family traditions?
You can also watch the video below to learn more about how the younger generation is working to preserve their culture by reviving a disappearing Indigenous language in rural Alaska.
Asian American and Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander Heritage
Join the Share My Lesson community in celebrating the generations of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans who have enriched global society, playing a critical role in its development and success. With our wealth of prek-12 digital resources, you and your students can explore the remarkable contributions that AANHPI Americans have given to history, culture, the sciences, industry, government and more.
Republished with permission from PBS News Hour Classroom.
PBS News Hour Classroom helps teachers and students identify the who, what, where and why-it-matters of the major national and international news stories. The site combines the best of News Hour's reliable, trustworthy news program with lesson plans developed specifically for... See More
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