YOUTH EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Students embark on a journey of discovery through our garden-based learning programs. From seed starting to harvesting and cooking, we inspire young minds to embrace sustainable agriculture, learn healthy eating habits, and spend time outdoors.

THE NEED

Our educational programs promote respect for the environment and an understanding of how critical a local food system is for human and ecological health. These values are taught through a gardening lens, while introducing students to nutritious recipes that highlight the joy of eating vegetables–especially when they are grown by our students themselves!

The following statistics indicate how important environmental education is for human and environmental health:

Agriculture contributes 21-37% of annual greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
The CDC reports that 1 in 5 children and adolescents are impacted by obesity, a number driven by a lack of access to affordable healthy foods.
An analysis conducted by Stanford University in 2017 found that the following benefits were consistently attributed to environmental education programs:
-Improved academic performance
-Enhanced critical thinking skills
-Development of personal growth and life-building skills
-Increased civic engagement and positive environmental behaviors

We introduce young people to seasonal crops and healthy eating behaviors to support childhood nutrition and food security initiatives. Harvest of the Month invites students to expand their palates by tasting a seasonal, farm-grown produce item through culinary applications. Students also learn about the crop’s cultural and historical significance.

Participants engage with nature through artistic expression and explore the ways that we can preserve, elevate, and celebrate our farm’s harvest. Using the farm’s ornamental and edible gardens, we transform our crops into farm-to-table dishes and artistic creations. This program aims to provide participants with valuable life skills, as well as an opportunity to explore career pathways and hobbies.