Public Health Association of BC

Program Overview

From January to October 2024, Farm to School BC offers a free mentorship program for K-12 educators and community organizations supporting existing school gardens or building a new school garden. This mentorship program provides valuable skills that support the development of a robust school garden community, hands-on student learning and a thriving garden ecosystem.

This program includes a series of monthly after-school online workshops, each featuring a guest speaker who will share their expertise to mentor you through the season in your school garden. Along with the workshops, the program offers an online library of resources and online connections to other garden educators. Join the third year of the School Garden Mentorship program and be part of our growing community of garden educators across BC.

 

Join the SGM Listserv for Updates!

We invite you to join our online school garden mentorship listserv. Receive important monthly email updates about the program and connect with other educators across BC to share resources and ideas. 

Join the listserv

 

Visit the Program Library

We have a collection of post-workshop resources, presentation slides, and session recordings for you to access in our Program Library. Everything your school garden team needs for a year of growing.  

Browse the library

 

Watch the Recordings (2024)

We recorded all of our live sessions! Click the links below to recap your favorite topic covered on YouTube. Click here to visit the program library and access post-workshop resources and slides. 

Jan 23rd: Establishing a School Garden Culture (recording)

Feb 13th: Designing Your School Garden and Crop Planning (recording)

Mar 12th: Classroom Growing and Building the Garden (recording)

Apr 9th: Outdoor Planting (recording)

May 7th: Summer Maintenance and Volunteer Management (recording)

Jun 4th: Spring Harvest and Celebration (recording)

Sep 17th: Harvesting and Seed Saving (recording)

Oct 15th: Winterizing Your Garden (recording)

  

 

About the Workshops

This program includes monthly after-school online workshops on Tuesdays. The hour-long workshops start with a short introduction to the topic and an overview of resources facilitated by Farm to School BC staff who have a wealth of experience supporting and teaching in school gardens. Following the introduction, the focus of the workshop is a presentation by a different guest speaker each month, and a facilitated Q & A with the guest following their presentation. The workshops are targeted to discuss seasonal garden tasks and prepare participants for the month ahead in the garden (although the specific timing of garden tasks will vary depending on your growing climate). Each workshop is designed to build off previous workshops, however, participants are encouraged to read the workshop descriptions and sign up for as many sessions as they like. See full details below. 

What’s new this year?

For those who attended last year, you will find the workshop themes are similar to previous years, however for the 2024 series, we are focusing on guest speakers and the unique knowledge and expertise they bring. Also, the longer Q&A time will provide the opportunity to tailor the discussion to the current needs of your school garden.

 

Establishing a School Garden Culture
A garden committee contributes to a positive culture around the school garden, which reduces burnout, leads to a more sustainable garden, and helps build the school garden movement across the school district. 
When: Tuesday, January 23  |  Time: 3:30-4:30 PM

  • Build a garden committee with clear goals
  • Define the roles of your team
  • Consider school district policies
  • Explore community connections

Registration Closed

 

Designing Your School Garden and Crop Planning
School gardens vary widely in their designs, and should be thoughtfully designed to align with how students will use them. Plan what crops to grow and when to plant them. 
When: Tuesday, February 13  |  Time: 3:30-4:30 PM

  • Select plants to align with your garden goals
  • Garden design: learn about garden location, bed shape, fencing, irrigation, pathways, accessibility, and more
  • Engage your class with garden design
  • Explore crop planning resources to align harvest with the school calendar

Registration Closed

 

Classroom Growing and Building the Garden
Curious to try growing seedlings in the classroom to later transplant in your garden? March is the time to start seedlings indoors, as well as build your outdoor growing space. 
When: Tuesday, March 5  |  Time: 3:30-4:30 PM

  • Grow seeds in the classroom
  • How to build a grow station
  • Build and install garden beds
  • How to get help from your community

Registration Closed

 

Outdoor Planting
Learn how to plant seeds and seedlings with your students, and how to protect those seedlings from frost and vandalism. 
When: Tuesday, April 9  |  Time: 3:30-4:30 PM

  • Plant with your class using Crop Cards
  • Scaffolding gardening skills for students
  • Deter vandalism with signage
  • Season extension and early Spring planting

Registration Closed

 

Summer Maintenance and Volunteer Management
Learn about different ways to organize garden care for July and August and plan for September in the garden. 
When: Tuesday, May 7  |  Time: 3:30-4:30 PM

  • Summer Maintenance Guide
  • How to manage summer volunteers
  • Planning for the Fall
  • Drought-wise gardening

Registration Closed

 

Spring Harvest and Celebration
Celebrate your garden with students and staff to build positive rapport and support for the garden. Cook up spring recipes and enjoy tasting the fruits of your labour. 
When: Tuesday, June 4  |  Time: 3:30-4:30 PM

  • Host a harvest celebration or garden tour
  • Spring garden recipes
  • Connect the garden to school festivities

Registration Closed

 

Harvesting and Seed Saving
Bring students back into the garden and learn how to harvest crops, save seeds and connect the garden to the kitchen. 
When: Tuesday, September 17  |  Time: 3:30-4:30 PM

  • Seed saving with students
  • Seed stewardship lessons and activities
  • Harvest celebration and preservation

Registration Closed

 

Winterizing your Garden
Prepare your garden and soil for the winter. Protect cold hardy plants for winter harvest, and build soil nutrients over the winter for spring planting. 
When: Tuesday, October 15  |  Time: 3:30-4:30 PM

  • Winterize your garden
  • Season extension and winter planting
  • Soil care 
  • Cover crops and green manure

Registration Closed

 

School Garden Support Resources