Sprouts School Garden Programming: Planting the seeds of sustainable agriculture at an early age

View the project final report

Commodities

Practices

• Education and Training: youth education
• Sustainable Communities: local and regional food systems, quality of life

Community Food Initiatives (CFI), whose mission is to ensure a healthy and equitable food system in Appalachian Ohio,  teaches hands-on gardening curriculum, Sprouts. The curriculum, matched to state standards, teaches gardening, sustainability,  local food systems, and more. If funded, the program would expand to include virtual “field trips” to local farms and “meet the farmer” lessons, allowing students the opportunity to learn from farmers practicing sustainable agriculture to further understanding, interest, and participation  in  sustainable farming practices.  When it is deemed safe, this project would shift to visits from farmers as well as a field trip to a local farm. 

1. Provide students with learning opportunities in sustainable agriculture and the environment through Sprouts curriculum twice/month either in school gardens or through a virtual format.
2. Introduce students to farming career opportunities and sustainable agriculture practices through school visits from farmers and/or through and “virtual meet the farmer” lessons.
3. Reinforce sustainable ag knowledge, career opportunities, and local food system knowledge through “virtual field trips” and/or a field trip to a local farm. 
4. Build more connections between healthy bodies and healthy foods through Sprouts curriculum.
5. Engage students’ creativity through art projects connected to agriculture, the garden, and the environment.