This Earth Day, 55 students from Sachem High School East visited FoodLab at Stony Brook Southampton to prepare for the AP Human Geography exam.
The field trip on April 22 converted classroom concepts into hands-on learning experiences about agricultural systems and their global impact.
“At FoodLab, we believe the best learning happens in the field — literally. Giving students the chance to connect classroom concepts with the soil beneath their feet helps them understand not just agriculture, but their role in shaping a more sustainable food future,” said Judiann Carmack-Fayyaz, executive director of the FoodLab at Stony Brook Southampton.
The program aligned with AP Human Geography curriculum themes including agriculture evolution, farming technology, environmental interaction and global agriculture.
Students attended a session with Jenn Halsey from Milk Pail Farm, who discussed Eastern Long Island’s rich agriculture history. This context helped students understand agricultural practices throughout history in response to the changing environment and technology.
Students also worked at FoodLab’s farm, where they learned about sustainable food production. The activities showed methods for soil health and ecological balance.
Nadia Ernestus explained to students about her business as a small batch producer of sauerkraut and demonstrated how she makes her product using locally sourced products. The goal was to show the importance of value-added products in small-scale farming operations.
During the World Café session, students studied von Thünen’s Bid Rent Theory and examined how transportation, technology and markets affect land-use decisions. This framework explains agricultural land use patterns in food systems.
Sachem East teacher Michael Jannace, who coordinated the trip, focused on connecting classroom learning with agricultural practices.
“They are getting first-hand experience for what it takes to be a farmer, from all of the labor to capital expenses,” said Jannace, who is also an adjunct lecturer in Stony Brook’s School of Professional Development. “Here we are at our harvest season on Earth Day, celebrating a little bit of planet Earth but also experiencing how we use the Earth to provide for the humans on the planet.”
The trip was a collaboration between Stony Brook and Sachem East to prepare students for testing and understanding of agricultural systems that affect communities worldwide.
As climate change and food security become critical issues, this experience gave students knowledge to engage with agricultural challenges in their future work and civic activities.
“FoodLab is about growing more than food — we’re growing the next generation of problem-solvers,” Carmack-Fayyaz said. “By connecting students to real-world challenges and asking them to seek innovative solutions, we’re equipping them to lead with knowledge, purpose, and action.”
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