LOS ANGELES, CA — Farmscape Gardens has announced the launch of its “Seed to Harvest” school garden program to support Southern California schools trying to establish and manage on-campus organic vegetable gardens. Sunnyside PreSchool in Van Nuys is one of the first area schools to implement the program, an educational program designed to teach children about gardening. The company will also offer courses and fundraising strategies to ensure Los Angeles students have access to programs that encourage nutrition, horticulture, and the environment.
“We are excited to be offering this program to schools because they already know the incredible benefits of school gardening programs,” said Farmscape CEO Jesse Dubois. “We don’t replace the student and faculty involvement in school gardening, we’re here as an insurance policy to help maintain and improve each student’s school gardening experience.”
Researchers have found that school gardens are effective at teaching children about science, health, and conveying the importance of a nutritious diet and active lifestyle. Students who participate in school gardening programs score significantly higher on standardized science achievement tests (Klemmer, et.al. 2005) and eat more balanced diets rich in fruits and vegetables (Morris & Zidenberg-Cherr 2002).
Despite the benefits, maintaining a school garden can be time-intensive, and requires special expertise to ensure it is most productive, especially in the summer months when many schools are out of session.
The Farmscape Seeds to Harvest program ensures the school garden is an effective year-round learning environment. Farmscape designs, installs, and maintains each school garden to specific curriculum and student needs. Farmscape can also provide support in developing and teaching courses in basic gardening, botany, and ecology. Students have the opportunity to participate in hands-on learning experiences at every stage. From planting to harvesting, Farmscape helps Southern California students see the entire horticultural lifecycle.
“Farmscape is a company focused on educating and empowering people to take control of their food supply,” said DuBois. “We are committed to providing the necessary organic and sustainable tools to create a network of thriving, small-scale urban farms around Los Angeles, especially in schools.”
Farmscape Gardens has already helped more than a dozen Los Angeles schools experience the benefits of school gardening first hand. The company is also exploring strategies to engage local communities and municipalities in organic gardening activities and fundraising with the aim to make urban gardening more sustainable and cost-effective.
For more information, visit www.farmscapegardens.com.