Sonoma Valley School Garden Project
Sonoma Valley School Garden
Project
The Sonoma Valley School Garden Project is a collaboration of community leaders, restaurateurs; master gardeners, organic farmers and the Sonoma Valley Education Foundation. The project was established to support schools with existing garden programs, assist schools in developing garden programs, establish a large scale garden to grow produce for sale to local restaurants, develop a working culinary/agricultural/viticulture program at Sonoma Valley High School and develop a basic garden curriculum for all Sonoma Valley schools.
The Sonoma Valley School Garden Project will provide funding, overview and coordination for school gardens at every school in the district. All gardens will include space for classroom participation and learning and a section for a community garden where school families and members of the school community can grow fruits and vegetables for themselves in exchange for support of the garden program. Additionally, a larger scale garden will be developed to produce fruits and vegetables to supply local restaurants. Restaurants would purchase the produce at fair market value, thereby providing a revenue stream for the garden project.
The Sonoma Valley School Garden Project will also provide coordination and oversight by contracting with a local garden manager and funding a small stipend to a teacher at each school, who serve as a resource for teachers, monitor conditions of the gardens, coordinate volunteer and consult on project planning and development.
The Sonoma Valley School Garden Project and school garden program provides:
- an outside location for learning the opportunity for hands on and experiential learning
- the possibility to integrate science, math, language development and art into a garden program
- the opportunity to teach nutrition and healthy life styles
- delicious and nutritious food for students as snacks and to supplement school time meals
- a venue for curriculum in environmental studies and sustainable farming
- a way to build community and establish a relationship between schools and their neighbors
- an avenue to bring the restaurant, viticulture, and farming community into a supportive role with schools, teachers and students.
School Garden News
Sonoma Valley Unified School District has embarked on a program to develop school gardens at every public school in Sonoma Valley with support from the Sonoma Valley Education Foundation.
Click below for the full story in the Sonoma Index Tribune.
GardenNewsArticle.pdfGardening Ideas: Key Hoe Gardening
The new style of Key Hole Gardening got its name from its shape and is perfect for anyone who wants to retain water and grow plants in any climate.
This type of home gardening was developed by C-SAFE to help African residences conserve rainwater runoff resources while gardening. This new style of gardening started in Mapoteng, Lenkoane, Malumeng, Taung, Kota, Makanametsung, and Sekameng.
View You Tube video on the Key Hole Gardening project.
