School Gardens

Rutgers Cooperative Extension professionals can help schools and early care centers start or revitalize edible schools gardens. They can also help you use the garden for tastings, food service and science learning activities. Contact your local FCHS office.

Resources to Get You Started

1. Webinar: Breaking it Down: School Composting Made Easy with FoodCorps
2. Implementing Farm to School Activities: Food Safety
3. Kids Gardening Educator Resources
4. Getting Started: A Guide for Creating School Gardens as Outdoor Classrooms (PDF)
5. Growing Gardens-Feeding Minds Video - New Jersey Farm to School Network made this film to highlight farm to school programs in the Garden State.

FCHS Publications

1. Conducting Taste-Testing Activities in Schools: A Guide for Teachers and Administrators
2. Cooking with Kids in the School Garden Fact Sheet
3. Food Safety, Soil, and Water Testing Recommendations for School and Community Gardens Fact Sheet
4. Learning Through the Garden Fact Sheet
5. Starting a School Garden Fact Sheet

Classroom and Curricula

1. CATCH Early Childhood - Designed to nurture a love of physical activity, provide an introduction to classroom-based gardening and nutrition, and encourage healthy eating.
2. Grow It, Try It, Like It - Gardening and Nutrition Curriculum
3. Farm to Preschool Network
4. From Our Farms - Collection of hands on multidisciplinary activities focusing on nutrition education through a farm to fork approach which can be used in a home or early care education center setting. Ordering available through RCE.
5. Handling Fresh Produce in Classrooms (PDF)