Fundraising is vitally important as you head back to school and plan to rejuvenate your school garden. There are rows to be tilled, compost to be added, seeds to buy (unless you’re practicing sustainability!), tools to sharpen, irrigation to maintain, gloves, fertilizer–the list goes on! Your school might garden hydroponically which means you’ll need more supplies. No matter what your situation, now is the time to plan for the upcoming school year’s garden program. Don’t have a garden, yet? No worries! I’ve compiled a list of resources to get you started.
Teachers and Volunteers
Your team is necessary to help coordinate activities and lessons for the school garden and determining a budget. Outside of teachers, team members can come from a variety of areas including your PTO organization, local Rotary and garden clubs, service and veteran organizations, 4-H, Ameri-Corp, local Boy Scout and Girl Scouts, and your local County Agricultural Extension office. Say the words “school garden” and you’ll see hands flying into the air!
After you have a team in place, you’ll need to make a plan for your garden including a budget. Take into account soil/compost, plants, seeds, irrigation, tools and supplies. There are a host of organizations willing and able to help fund your garden, from local businesses to national organizations. You can also reach out to your PTO members, state agricultural department, charitable groups and the like.
Students Will Eat What They Grow
If a child grows it, they will eat it. And that’s the goal, right? We want to encourage our youth to make healthy food and lifestyle choices and the garden is a great place to start. Not only is it fun, but there’s a bounty of delicious food to taste and love. Many school districts are coordinating efforts between the food service department and the school garden, allowing for “tasting days” and even incorporating the school harvest into the cafeteria menu. The USDA also offers nutritional information and recipes for the produce your students are growing.
Farm to School is a national advocacy and networking hub for school gardens that has recipes, curriculum ideas, grant opportunities and more. Many of the groups that advocate for school gardens will also provide curriculum and resources to get started.
Grant Applications
Grants for school gardens are beginning to open their application cycles and some deadlines are fast-approaching! A few examples include:
Lowe’s Toolbox for Education
The Fall 2018 grant cycle opens August 6, 2018
Florida Ag in the Classroom
Applications open online August 1, 2018 and due October 1, 2018
Whole Kids Foundation
Applications open September 1, 2018 and due November 1, 2018
Herb Society of America
Applications now open and due October 1, 2018
Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education
Applications now open and due October 15, 2018
For more organizations, please visit my school garden resource page and–PLEASE–check individual websites for specific details and deadlines.
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