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Getting Started

Getting Started

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There are many organiztions out there designed to help teacher, parents and staff in starting or maintaining a school garden. If you have a helpful site that we can add to this list please let us know by calling the Master Gardener Office at 209-953-6112.

CA Ag in the Classroom - Our state is dependent upon the success of agriculture, yet today, we are faced with bigger challenges than ever before. Over the last century, children have become further removed from the land that feeds and clothes us. Our mission is to increase awareness and understanding of agriculture among California's educators and students. Our vision is an appreciation of agriculture by all.

CA School Garden Network - CSGN is a 501c(3) whose members represent a variety of state agencies, private companies, educational institutions and non-profit organizations all dedicated to the mission of creating and sustaining gardens in every willing school in California. The Network serves as a central organization to distribute school garden information, resources and support throughout the state.

Children's Gardens (PDF Order from and infomation). Bremner, Elizabeth and Pusey, John. UCCE. 1990.
Sherbo, Jan. All the information you’ll need to plan a successful children’s garden--even if you have never gardened before. 190 pages of specific information presented in east-to-use format.

Farming is Food, Fiber, Flowers… and Fun!
The Farming is Food, Fiber, Flowers... and Fun! PDF workbook is designed to walk you through the planning and implementation process of establishing or enhancing a garden project. Every attempt has been made to keep it simple and easy to use. It can be placed in a ring binder. Many of the pages can be used as templates. Personalized pages of photos, observations, sketches, evaluations, and other pertinent information may be added.

Garden ABC's - GardenABCs is a forum for parents, educators and community members seeking guidance, resources, fundraising, networking and teaching support to start and maintain learning gardens.

Junior Master Gardener Program - To grow good kids by igniting a passion for learning, success and service through a unique gardening education. Once your have obtained your JMG curriculm you can register your group or school as a registered JMG group.

KidsGardening -Is a resource of the National Gardening Association Program. This site has lots of information on starting a school gardens as well as success stories and ideas that you can implement in your school.

Life-Lab -Life Lab is a national leader in farm- and garden-based education. At the Life Lab Garden Classroom in Santa Cruz, California, we promote experiential learning for all ages through children’s camps, field trips, youth and internship programs, and teacher workshops. Drawing on over thirty years of work with students we have also created curricula and workshops for educators interested in bringing learning to life in gardens nationwide.

MyHealthySchool.com - Provides teachers, administrators and parents with action plans for creating greener, healthier, more socially responsible schools and children. We believe that as educators, you have the power to create change, and MyHealthySchool.com aims to provide you with the necessary tools. 

Plant a Seed and Watch it Grow - This guide was developed to help teachers in San Diego County start and maintain a school garden with their students. It is also meant to help integrate the garden into the curriculum in support of the California State Standards.

School Garden Weekly - School Garden Weekly is published in Los Angeles, California by George Pessin, Los Angeles County Certified Master Gardener. School Garden Weekly was created to allow students, teachers, parents, and volunteers the information necessary to start and maintain a successful school garden.

School Garden Wizard
School Garden Wizard has been created for America's K-12 school community through a partnership between the United States Botanic Garden and Chicago Botanic Garden. This website will help you make the case for your garden, plan for success, create the garden, learn in the garden and keep your garden growing.

School Gardens
This website, from the Aggie Horticulture Network, includes a step-by-step guide for creating a school garden and provides ideas and curricula for gardening lessons.

Whole Kids Foundation
Whole Kids Foundation is dedicated to helping kids eat better - and enjoy it! They are a nonprofit 501(c)(3) founded by Whole Foods Market and guided by the same values, principles, expertise and standards for quality ingredients, food production methods and nutrition.

Whole Kids Foundation is dedicated to helping kids eat better—and enjoy it!