As parents and grandparents, we want to encourage our children to learn and engage with the world around them. Gardening is an excellent way to foster this curiosity. But should we use supplies and materials that could harm the environment and our health, in the name of growing local food?

I...

Have you ever even thought about growing a school garden?

Did you happen to Google to see how you should go about it and where you should start?

Did the advice you found look something along the lines of...

Step1: Form a Garden Committee

Step 2: Determine Goals

Step 3: Raise funds

Step...

You're an elementary teacher with a dream...

And in this dream, there's a garden you grow with your students...

I know that because you are on this page reading!

But this dream is bogged down with "Ya but" here and "Ya but" there.

But isn't a garden expensive?

But doesn't it need an outdoor...

Elementary Teachers,

The last 2 weeks were pretty great I think because I revealed so much important information to help you bust your fears of starting a garden with your students.

Busted a few myths and showed you how to find the time to do this!

It's all HERE in last week's playlist and Down...

Are you a teacher who would have loved it if you could grow a food garden with your students...

BUT...

You are not doing it because...

1) Do You think you need outdoor space?

2) You've never grown a thing in your life and think you've got gray thumbs.

3) Or do you think you need to organize...

After almost a decade of growing school gardens, in all kinds of schools, and in all types of settings, in-school, after-school, clubs, teaching myself, training facilitators who taught my programs, training classroom teachers, and providing them with resources and coaching, there are 5...

Should you leave growing food gardens for spring and completely forget about them in fall and winter?
Absolutely not! For a few reasons:

1) First, you can teach about good food and the positive environmental impacts humans can have just by growing food locally... The young are disappointed in us...

For most elementary teachers, growing a classroom or school garden might sound intimidating, but it can easily be simplified by planning. I know, I know! Planning is not the most pleasant aspect of growing gardens but as for any subject you teach, this one too requires planning. Even though you...

Elementary teachers, growing somewhat of a school or even a classroom garden, in student clubs or by arranging a few planting or work events with parents, is possible...

But, not if you want that garden to be EDUCATIONAL and no matter the size, IMPACTFUL.

Not if you want it to be producing FOOD...

Elementary teachers, have you ever tried to grow a school garden or even a classroom garden before?

Did you try to get plants donated, then organized planting events and work events with parents?

Or maybe you put together a lunchtime or after-hours/weekend club with your school's students to grow...

So... Let's say that you grew a school garden with your students throughout the school year and they worked hard and you all took really good care of your plants. Let's say you also set up a watering chest and arranged volunteers for the summer... just like I showed you in last week's blog.

But...