Erin Nurss, MPHProgram Coordinator

UA Arizona Nutrition NetworkAugust 25-26, 2010

Goals of school garden projects Coordinating and Supporting the process

◦ Teachers◦ Master Gardeners◦ Community Food Bank

Building and maintaining the gardens Successes Challenges Future Goals

Make the farm to table connection

Increase exposure and consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables

Develop partnerships that support effective gardening and nutrition education in schools

UA Cooperative Extension◦ Pima County Master Gardeners

SNAP-Ed schools Community Food Bank

Secure materials for gardening Plan for sustainability and maintenance Coordinate garden activities

◦ Participating classes◦ Interested parent volunteers

Incorporate nutrition education before, during and after the gardening activities

Provide gardening expertise Incorporate nutrition education

◦ Reiterate the importance of fruit and vegetable consumption.

Consultations◦ Teachers ◦ Administrators ◦ Parents

Provide seeds, soil, compost Provide ongoing technical assistance Mentor parents Nutrition education

Provide resources and support for schools◦ Lessons and ideas ◦ Links to garden grants◦ Support for sampling the foods grown◦ Allowable purchases

Connect community partners with the schools

Suggested lessons/ideas for the classroom◦ Grow It! Try It! Like It! (USDA Team Nutrition)◦ Fruit and vegetable counting cards◦ Farm to Fork Activity Book (Produce for Better Health)◦ Garden and nutrition education books (Neat Solutions)

From the Garden by Michael Dahl Vegetable Soup and the Fruit Bowl by Dianne Warren and

Susan Smith Jones (K-1)

◦ Health and Nutrition from the Garden (Junior Master Gardeners curriculum) (3-5)

◦ Incredible Edible Science cook book (Learning Zone Express)

Research and report the nutrient contents of the foods

Responsibility and care of the foods

Journal about tastings Write recipes and ingredient lists Research historical uses and

geographical harvests

Special Education Students try the foods they are growing when they

are available in the cafeteria. Gardening used as physical activity and therapy

Garden supplies◦ America the Beautiful◦ Home improvement stores

Suggest sites for materials and grants◦ http://www.kidsgardening.com/grants.asp◦ http://www.wga.com

KidsGardening.com newsletter ◦ Updates on the latest open grant cycles◦ Opportunities for funding for gardening materials and

supplies Captain Planet Foundation

◦ www.captainplanetfoundation.org

Food demonstrations◦ Fresh fruit with a low fat yogurt dip◦ Carrot dip (made from low fat yogurt)◦ Strawberry-Kiwi Eye Opener

Encourage food safety lessons as part of the demonstrations.

Books ◦ Nutritional benefits of gardening◦ Farm to table connections ◦ Importance of eating more fruits and vegetables.

Materials and supplies ◦ Nutrition education related to gardening, fresh

fruit and vegetable consumption, or food safety.

Meet with the directors Attend a program meeting Meet with interested volunteers Ask teachers/schools with gardens for requests Pair Master Gardeners and the Food Bank with

requests from schools

Local donations/sponsors/grants Make a Difference Day Family support and volunteerism

Master Gardeners and Community Food Bank staff met with:◦ Sponsoring teachers at partner schools◦ Classrooms of students

Students learned:◦ Importance of good soil◦ Proper sunlight◦ Proper watering techniques and amounts◦ Water harvesting◦ Food harvesting, washing and preparation

Drexel Elementary School (K-3 gardens)◦ Parent volunteers helped build planters for

vegetable gardens◦ Students cared for their gardens and planted and

harvested carrots, strawberries, pumpkins, peppers, and corn.

◦ Students learned about composting◦ Teacher integrated discussions about:

MyPyramid The importance of healthy eating The link between gardening and nutrition Food safety and preparation

Borton Elementary School◦ Each class has a plot of land for which they care◦ The classrooms harvest their crops and have a

school farmers markets. Students learn:

Gardening Integrated math and business (price, sell and inventory

crops)

Lauffer Middle School (2008)◦ Seed to table connection◦ Created 9 raised beds ◦ Grow tomatoes, eggplant, hot and sweet peppers,

okra, cucumbers, squash, basil, and lavender.

Gained knowledge◦ Desert ecosystems◦ Sustainable agriculture◦ Building practices◦ Mathematics◦ Nutrition and physical activity

Community partners: ◦ UA Nutrition Network, ◦ Mesquite Valley Growers, Lowe’s, The Home Depot, ◦ Sunnyside Foundation◦ Community Food Bank

Successful collaboration in rural areas Master Gardeners

◦ Gardening support◦ Nutrition education◦ Sustainable crops

Community Food Bank◦ Receives crops from Master Gardeners◦ Food preparation workshops

School gardens

Volunteers◦ Master Gardeners◦ Parents◦ Teachers

Culture (Master Gardeners)◦ Priorities◦ Organizational goals◦ Generations

Location Time restraints

Community gardens/Outdoor classrooms Sustainability Nutrition education through Master

Gardeners◦ Junior Master Gardener program◦ Greater incorporation into presentations