The Liberty High School Garden is wrapping up its second season, but it’s already a great example of what a school garden can be! Join coordinator Jenny and two of her students on a tour of the garden and hear what they have to say about the value of school gardening.
Some of the benefits of school gardening that the Liberty High Garden Club and other school gardeners have seen include…
- Greater collaborative abilities and a sense of community
- Increased sense of responsibility and accountability
- Development of more positive attitudes toward nature and environmental stewardship
- Greater understanding of where food comes from and the effort involved in growing it
- Increased willingness to try new fruits and veggies
- Increased consumption of fruits and veggies as students and later in life
This project was possible because of a USDA Farm to School Grant awarded to Iowa Valley RC&D. Iowa Valley RC&D and Field to Family are working with 4 school districts (Solon, Iowa City, Clear Creek Amana and Cedar Rapids), to increase the capacity for farm to school success. The project includes school food procurement planning and in school nutrition education programs.
Sources:
Collective School Garden Network: https://www.csgn.org/why-school-gardens
National Farm to School Network: http://www.farmtoschool.org/resources…