School Garden Webinar Series

We are pleased to announce our 2022 School Garden Webinar Series, featuring ideas for starting a new school garden program, understanding food safety in a school garden setting, and setting up best practices for your school garden. Please scroll down to read more about each session and for registration links. All events are free and open to all. 

We will also be hosting in-person school garden tours throughout the spring in Salem, New Bedford, Northampton, Gloucester, Chelsea, and Worcester. Dates and school locations to be announced soon!

School Gardens 101

February 8, 2022
3:00PM – 4:00PM EST
[This event has taken place, watch a recording here.] 

Does your school want to establish an outdoor or indoor garden program but you don’t know where to begin? Have you started a school garden but you need more support on planning, maintenance and instruction? This online workshop will explore how to get a garden program up and running successfully at your school and will cover such topics as site location, collaboration, what to plant, and how to organize care. In this one hour online program, Kelly Cronin (S.T.E.M. Specialist Teacher, Witchcraft Heights Elementary School, Salem Public Schools and Kendra Dawsey (School Programs Manager, Healthy Chelsea) will share their years of experience at creating dynamic and successful school gardening programs. 

School Garden Food Safety

March 8, 2022
3:00PM – 4:00PM EST
[This event has taken place, watch a recording here.]

Students who grow food in a school garden should have the opportunity to eat and celebrate the end results of their labor, but many schools and cafeterias have questions around garden food safety. What are best practices around garden food safety that can minimize risks associated with serving food from school gardens? This workshop will explore garden food safety and review materials that Massachusetts Farm to School and the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) created that establish a standard framework and assessment for maintaining food safety in the school garden aligned with MDAR’s Commonwealth Quality Program for farms. Participants will leave with PDF copies of the materials and questions answered. Presenters: Dinah Mack (Education Program Specialist, Mass. Farm to School) Chetna Naimi (Partnership Director & Farm to School Program Coordinator, Codman Academy) Eric Stenfors (Food & Drug Inspector, Produce Safety Division, MDAR).
Best Practices in the School Garden

Thursday, March 31, 2022
4:00PM – 5:00PM EST
[This event has taken place, watch a recording here.]

Establishing and maintaining a successful school garden involves coordinating many moving parts. From student safety and engagement, educator and volunteer coordination, to funding for materials and seasonal maintenance, there is so much to think about. In this one hour virtual workshop you will learn best practices from garden coordinators with years of experience to make your school garden a success. Presenters: Hope Guardenier (Executive Director, School Sprouts) Eliza Lawrence (School Gardens Coordinator, Regional Environmental Council) Dinah Mack (Education Program Specialist, Mass. Farm to School).