Welcome to the Resources section of our website!
Designed to provide topic specific information, references for further help plus inspiration to help keep you moving forward, this section provides links to articles, how-to information, lesson plans, fundraising ideas, partner organizations and more as you continue your journey to successfully use your school garden as an outdoor classroom to support and promote educational gardening for youth.
New to school gardening?
- Watch our 5 minute Video: Promoting and Supporting School Gardens
- Read articles for suggestions:
- Review the Monthly School Garden Checklist to give you a suggested timeline of tasks to begin
- Check out our School Garden of the Month profiles for inspiration!
- List your school garden in our complimentary online Garden Directory
- Join the School Garden Exchange Google Group for advice
- Attend our Events and Programs to meet other school garden coordinators, take professional development workshops, earn contact hours, tour school gardens, enjoy shared meals and win fabulous door prizes from our sponsors and supporters!
- Sign up for our monthly newsletter
- Follow us on Facebook for up to date announcements and information
- Ask questions via our Contact Us form
Have you been managing a school garden for awhile but need specific information or some inspiration?
- Watch our 5 minute Video: Promoting and Supporting School Gardens
- Check out our School Garden of the Month profiles for inspiration!
- Join the School Garden Exchange Google Group for advice plus network with other school garden coordinators at our breakout sessions at Maine School Garden Day or informally at our Annual Meeting and other events.
- Attend our Events and Programs to meet other school garden coordinators, take professional development workshops, earn contact hours, tour school gardens, enjoy shared meals and win fabulous door prizes from our sponsors and supporters!
- Offer to host a School Garden Summer Tour to show off your garden, get help with a group work project or request feedback on your projects.
- Participate in School Garden Grown! and share your school garden bounty at your local ag fair.
- Enter photos for our School Garden of the Month Calendar fundraiser and plan to sell them at your school to earn money.
- Sign up for our monthly newsletter
- Follow us on Facebook for up to date announcements and information
- Ask questions via our Contact Us form
Are you a community member or parent wanting to get involved in school gardening?
- Watch our 5 minute Video: Promoting and Supporting School Gardens
- Check out our School Garden of the Month profiles for inspiration!
- Attend our Events and Programs to meet others, take workshops, tour school gardens, enjoy shared meals and win fabulous door prizes from our sponsors and supporters to find ways to support a school garden in your area.
- Sign up for our monthly newsletter
- Follow us on Facebook for up to date announcements and information
- Ask questions via our Contact Us form
Resource Sections
Resource sections on this website are outlined below and include:
- Teaching in Your School Garden
- Financing Your School Garden
- Managing Your School Garden
- Cooking in Your School Garden
- Partner Organizations
- Maine School Gardens
Teaching in Your School Garden
This section includes:
- Lesson Plan of the Month
- Why School Gardens?
- Quick Start to a School Garden
- USDA School Garden Fact Sheet
- Starting an Educational School Garden
- Creating & Maintaining a School Garden
- UMaine Cooperative Extension
Financing Your School Garden
This section includes:
- School Garden Caretakers Grant
- Grant Resources
- Grant Writing Resources and Tips
- Funding A School Garden Program
- How to Fund School Garden Projects
- Fundraisers like Plant Sales
- Grant of the Month Features
Managing Your School Garden
This section includes:
- Volunteer Management
- Monthly School Garden Checklist.
- Management Tips of the Month
- Other organizations such as Edible Schoolyard, Big Green and Life Lab
Note: Check out the Partner Organizations section for more organizational resources
Cooking in Your School Garden
This section includes:
- Lesson and Activity Planning
- Partner with a Culinary Educator
- Cooking Carts
- Connecting the School Garden to the Cafeteria
- Food Preparation and Safety
- Farm to School: Connecting the Cafeteria to the Classroom
- Cookbooks, Recipes and Videos
- Recipe of the Month
- Organizations and Community Partners
- Funding Sources
- Training Opportunities
- Other Resources
