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Edible Gardens & Mini-Farms

Many schools around the world have planted edible gardens that they use to grow vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers. The students plant the gardens and then raise, harvest, and eat the crops, improving their nutrition, their knowledge about plant growth, and their patience.

Some schools have created urban or suburban "mini-farms" that house farm animals such as goats, sheep, chickens, and rabbits on the school grounds. Students practice animal husbandry, collect eggs, make manure compost, and learn skills that are typically rural while living in non-rural settings.The list of resources below will help you to get started on edible gardens and mini farms of your own, while the list of case studies is intended to inspire you on your journey.

Please contact the webmaster if you know of additional resources or case studies that should be added to this page. Thanks! sharon@ecoschools.com


Resources for Edible Gardens & Mini-Farms

Resource Title Description
Location
American Community Gardening Association National membership organization promoting community gardens National, USA
Farmer Brown's Garden Path Information on "square foot" gardening National, USA
Kidsgardening, National Gardening Association Information, youth garden grants, resource directory, school garden registry, etc. National, USA
School garden registry, National Gardening Association Search for school gardens around the United States using this online database. National, USA

Sustainable Agricultural Resources for Teachers, K-12

U.S. Department of Agriculture webpage including: resources, contacts, books, and articles National, USA
Center for Ecoliteracy Learning Communities program is a network for schools and educators; website includes case studies, publications, etc. California, USA
A Garden in Every School, California Department of Education Guidelines and resources for California's state-wide school garden program California, USA
Garden Resources, California Department of Education Many types of helpful resources and publications California, USA
Life Lab Science Program Comprehensive garden curriculum focused on science classes and outdoor learning California, USA
A Living Library Organization with many ideas about school gardens California, USA
University of California Cooperative Extension, County of San Diego School garden information including: getting started, growing tips, activities, tour of local sites, links California, USA
School Nature Area Project (SNAP), St. Olaf College Grant ideas, online newsletter, case study reports Minnesota, USA
Aggie Horticulture for Kids, Texas A&M University Horticulture Program Gardening information, nutrition, composting, etc. Texas, USA
KinderGardens, Texas A&M Information and research on children's gardens, tips for gardening with children, survey, etc. Texas, USA
School Gardens, Texas A&M How to build school gardens, design considerations, curricula, etc. Texas, USA

 

Resources around the World

City Farmer Canada's Office of Urban Agriculture Vancouver, Canada
Permaculture Resources in Britain The Permaculture Association - excellent list of permaculture links in Britain and around the world Great Britain
European Federation of City Farms A network of city farms throughout Europe Europe
AKiB "AKiB is a federation of adventure playgrounds and children’s farms in Berlin. It is also lobbying for play space for children and young people in the new German capital. Berlin, Germany

 



Case Studies of Edible Gardens & Mini-Farms

School Name Project Title Location
Berkeley Unified School District Berkeley Unified School District has a Food Policy that actively promotes nutrition and health using school gardens. Related websites: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Berkeley, California, USA
LeConte Elementary School Courtyard Farm and Garden with chickens and rabbits, additional garden patch on school grounds, butterfly garden, composting, etc. Berkeley, California, USA
Malcolm X Elementary School School garden at an urban school. Includes a cobb greenhouse, student artwork, and many other features. Berkeley, California, USA
Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School The Edible Schoolyard, a lush one-acre garden with accompanying cooking program Berkeley, California, USA
Willard Middle School The Willard Greening Project has transformed an asphalt-covered urban playground into an extensive school garden with connections to the school's cafeteria. Extensive butterfly/native plants garden also onsite. Berkeley, California, USA
Buena Vista Elementary School School garden Carlsbad, California, USA
Vista Square Elementary School School garden Chula Vista, California, USA
West Cottonwood Jr. High 5th grade garden Cottonwood, California, USA
Hollister School School garden Goleta, California, USA
Peralta Elementary School A lush courtyard garden, beautiful playground play and seating areas, and fantastic murals adorning the building

Oakland, California, USA

     
North Broadway Elementary School School garden San Diego County, California, USA
Claire Lilienthal School
School garden San Francisco, California, USA
San Francisco Community School Project OLE (Outdoor Learning Environment) transformed a bleak asphalt playground into a vibrant school garden and outdoor learning environment in urban San Francisco. San Francisco, California, USA
Tule Elk Park Children's Center Schoolyard greening project substantially transformed a paved playground into a space with a garden, grassy hills, water-play, native plants, artwork, and other features. San Francisco, California, USA
La Mirada School School & community garden San Ysidro, California, USA
Topanga Elementary School School garden: "Healthy Children - Healthy Planet" Topanga, California, USA
Olive Elementary School Garden club Vista, California, USA
John F. Kennedy High School Environmental club New York, New York, USA
Leaphart Elementary School School garden Columbia, South Carolina, USA
Shawsville Elementary School School garden Virginia, USA

 

Edible Gardens and Mini-Farms around the World

Grandview U'uqinak'uuh Community School Yard School and community garden, wildlife habitat, cultural areas Vancouver, BC, Canada
Lord Roberts Elementary School School garden Vancouver, BC, Canada
Coombes Infant and Nursery School Wonderfully developed school grounds including a garden, fruit trees, farm animals and much more Arborfield, Berkshire, England
Adventure Playground, Children's Farm, Community Center Adventure playground, children's farm, community center Berlin, Germany
Gunnesbo School School garden, chickens, composting, solar panels Lund, Sweden
Vega School School garden, chickens, outdoor seating, etc. (Website in Swedish with photos) Lund, Sweden
South Hill School School garden Malmö, Sweden