Gardening Resources
If you're considering starting your own school garden, or if you already have one, here are some resources we think you'll find useful.
- Cultivating Health and Nutrition through Gardening Education (C.H.A.N.G.E.)
- There are many garden based curriculums being used around the United States. When identifying educational materials to use for your school garden program, it may be important to choose curriculum that aligns directly with Washington State learning standards (EALRs) and coordinates with the schedule of our growing season in the Northwest. One such resource is the Cultivating Health and Nutrition through Gardening Education (C.H.A.N.G.E.) curriculum for K-5th graders developed at Washington State University King County Extension through the Food $ense Program. To learn more and to download lessons please visit.
- Farm to School Connections
- Efforts in King County are underway to bring locally grown food into schools, to promote the success of local farms in these relationships, and to support school gardening efforts. The Farm to School Connections Team is comprised of parents, educators, farmers, and other community members interested in cultivating these relationships. Find updates on local efforts and learn how to get involved
- Nutrition Services
- The Seattle Public Schools passed top-notch Nutrition Policies in 2004 affecting which foods are sold and are offered in schools through Nutrition Services. They subsequently passed a Nutrition Education Policy in 2006. Learn more about these policies, about the Nutrition Advisory Committee that helps to support the work and to check the online snack calculator.
- P–Patch
- To learn more about the City of Seattle’s very successful community gardening program, P–Patch, that provides land for urban organic gardening to more than 4500 gardeners and to view resources for home or school gardeners visit the website.
- Lettuce Link
- Lettuce Link, a program of the Fremont Public Association, creates access to fresh, nutritious and organic produce, seeds, and gardening information for low-income families in Seattle. They work to educate the community about food security and sustainable food production. School gardens can help with efforts to provide fresh food to hunger relief programs.
- Seattle Youth Garden Works
- Seattle Youth Garden Works empowers homeless and under-served youth through garden-based education and employment. To learn more and to explore ways that youth in middle and high school are engaged in gardening, explore here.
- Seattle Tilth
- Seattle Tilth inspires and educates people to garden organically, conserve natural resources and support local food systems in order to cultivate a healthy urban environment and community. Seattle Tilth Childrens' Programs are excellent to introduce children to organic gardening. Seattle Tilth has a plethora of resources to successfully garden in the Northwest. For more information, their website offers information on classes, programs, publications, events and ideas for supporting sustainable urban agriculture.
- Master Gardeners
- WSU King County Extension Master Gardeners offer volunteers to help with environmentally friendly gardening. They are a great resource with knowledge and experience for building new gardens. More information is here.
