Our Edible Schoolyards
"We eat every day, and if we do it in a way that doesn't recognize value,
it's contributing to the destruction of our culture and of agriculture.
But if it's done with a focus and care, it can be a wonderful thing.
It changes the quality of your life."
--Alice Waters
Edible Schoolyards & Beyond
The Edible Schoolyard Project (ESYP) promotes well-being and sustainability with hands-on organic teaching gardens, kitchen classrooms, and an integrated PK-12 curriculum with global educator training and support.
Students participate in all aspects of growing, harvesting, and preparing nutritious, seasonal produce during the academic day, and in after-school classes. Hands-on experiences in the garden and kitchen foster a deeper appreciation of the natural world that sustains us, and promote environmental and social well-being.
The Edible Schoolyard Program is fully integrated into the fabric of the school and community. Lessons in the kitchen and garden classrooms bring academic subjects to life, and cultivate an appetite for fresh, healthy food.
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EDIBLE HISTORY
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The Edible Schoolyard Project began nearly two decades ago when restaurateur Alice Waters and educators at the Martin Luther King Junior Middle School in Berkeley, California transformed one-acre of blighted land into an organic teaching garden.
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Recognizing the potential of this idea, the Center for Ecoliteracy funded the first ESYP garden director, David Hawkins, and kitchen director, Esther Cook.
As the garden grew, so did the program.
Educators developed garden and kitchen lessons linked to classroom studies, and community volunteers 'dug in.'
Today, the ESYP Berkeley sponsors a summer program, a teaching academy, and has inspired Edible programs at schools, youth centers, camps, and museums worldwide.
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GLOBAL SUCCESS
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CLICK HERE to learn more about successful Edible Schoolyard Projects.​
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Growing Your Edible Community
The Organic Farming Institute guides PK-12 schools, youth centers, camps, and museums through the steps required to create and sustain an Edible Community Program. Our services will include:
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Leadership Committee Development
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Teaching Garden Design Development
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Kitchen Classroom Design Development
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Budget Development
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Funding Feasibility Studies
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In-Kind Contributions
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Sponsorships
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Grantwriting
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Fundraisers
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Teaching Garden Construction
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Kitchen Classroom Construction
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Volunteer & Staff Training
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Curriculum Integration
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Community Celebration
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Ongoing Program Support
Sustainable Funding Support
In addition to providing technical and funding support to Organic Schoolyard start projects, we will also provide support for the following sustainable technologies:
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Renewable Energy Technology
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Solar​
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Wind
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Geothermal
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Biogas
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​Renewable Water Technology
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Renewable Transportation Technology
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CONTACT US to learn more.
THE MISSION of the Edible Schoolyard Project is to build and share a national edible education curriculum for pre-kindergarten through high school.
The Edible Schoolyard Project envisions gardens and kitchens as interactive classrooms for all academic subjects, and a sustainable, delicious, and free lunch for every student. Integrating this curriculum into schools can transform the health and values of every child in America.
Organic Farming
I N S T I T U T E
This is more than a Funding Opportunity. It's a peek into a world where people and the planet thrive!
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Over the past decade, our for-profit affiliate, Eco-Asis, has helped mission-aligned organizations
secure over $107 million in grants, low-interest loans, contributions, and impact investments.
We're fundraising to provide "Seed Grants" that expand access to the Business Development Solutions
proven to help entrepreneurs launch, scale, and replicate regenerative solutions
that cultivates environmental and cultural sustainability.
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Your tax-deductible donations help BIG IDEAS take root.