Our Master Farmers

Mark-Antonio Smith - Eastern South Fork
Mark has over 15 years of experience in education and teaching, both in CA and NY, earning a Bachelor of Education Degree from California State University in 2013. He founded Nurtury for Kids. Mark is passionate about “educating children on healthy eating” and “providing children access to sustainable gardening”. Mark believes that by utilizing a school garden, we can incorporate lessons in Math, Social Studies, Science, and Language Arts; an exciting way for young learners to connect with the curriculum, and gain a deeper understanding of the environment, our earth and the effects we as humans can have on our surroundings. Mark has been a Slow Food East End School Garden Master Farmer since January of 2018. “Providing children the opportunity to play, explore, and learn in their school gardens is integral for making meaningful connections with their school curriculums and their environment. Through this process, students will develop strategies to collaborate and ultimately grow to become active participants of the Slow Food movement.”
thenurturyforkids@gmail.com

Melissa Mapes-
​North Fork
​Melissa was born and raised in East Hampton and is now a resident of Riverhead and a mother of two. She comes from a long line of South Fork farmers and has continued her family’s passion for farming and gardening by joining numerous local organizations working to educate the community about the importance of local food systems and the environmental benefits and eating local. Mapes has worked as the Director of Community Outreach and Education for the non-profit Share The Harvest Farm. She has also taken on the role of the East End Farm-to-School Coordinator under the NY Ag and Markets grant working with Southampton, Tuckahoe, and Bridgehampton School Districts. She is proud to be a Slow Food Master Farmer and proud to help our local schools build and design educational gardens, and incorporate fun activities about growing food into their school curricula to help our children grow bright, independent, strong and connected to the land they live on.
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eastendfarmtoschoolcoordinator@gmail.com