2017 SCHOOLYARD GARDEN PLANTING WEEK!
 Governor Dayton Proclaimed May 22-26 Schoolyard Garden in Planting Week in Minnesota!
A special thank you and recognition goes to Stephanie Leonard, US Green Building Concil-MN, and MN Green Schools Coalition for their continued dedication and making it another successful week! Schoolyard garden projects that registered as part of planting week were supported by over 1500 students, teachers, and community members!
https://highlights.extension.umn.edu/content/may-kicks-schoolyard-garden-planting
Friday, March 2, 2018 for the 6th Annual Schoolyard Gardens Conference
Over 350 teachers, school administrators, school food service professionals, Master Gardeners, parents, and other school garden supporters attended this year's event and shared ideas and resources for building and sustaining school gardens. From nutrition programming to building valuable community partnerships, the conference agenda highlights practical and inspirational tools from the leading experts and educators in the state.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Why are we here, when we have absolutely no business gardening in our state?. . . . Do you feel that your school garden is an island among itself, all alone? Rick will show you how to unite your school garden movement in your neighborhood/city/state in seven easy steps! Join Rick as he will share how Oregon became a leader in the farm to school and school garden movement, detailing how they united their State's school gardens into a mega-force.
RICK SHERMAN, Farm to School/School Garden Coordinator, Oregon Department of Education Rick was hired by the Oregon Department of Education in 2012 as the Farm to School/School Garden coordinator after working for 32 years for a food service management company. The last 20 of those years have been spent as a Director of Nutrition Services in Eugene, Albany and Dallas (Oregon). Rick Graduated from Western Washington University with a degree in Education. He has been a runner for almost forty years, competing at the national level in the Steeplechase, and has been a high school track and cross country coach for 20 years. Rick is a Master Gardener, loves home brewing, & riding dirt bikes. He spends his spare time in his backyard garden and raising chickens.
 |
This Conference featured Pigeonhole Live, an interactive platform for audience participation.
View Keynote Speaker Q&A Session Results
|
SCHOOL GARDEN 101: Great for new garden programs! Bare to Bountiful: One Year of Gardening at Gage GAGE GARDEN TEAM, Gage Elementary School, Rochester, Minnesota Grow it Safe! Food Safety practices for schoolyard and small-scale gardens Annalisa Hultberg, Extension Educator, Food Safety, University of Minnesota Crossing the Curriculum in the Garden SUE KNOTT, Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom Come Along- A Garden 4 Every School GALEN ERICKSON and DAR FOSSE, Jeffers Foundation
|
PROGRAM SUSTAINABILITY The Perfect Prairie Partnership KATHRINA O'CONNELL and MARY SOFTING, Lake Park Audobon Elementary, Audobon, Minnesota Spark-Y Sustainability Gardens: Year Round Dynamic Experiences for Youth ZACH ROBINSON Schoolyard Gardens: Extending the Seasons MARY TESSMAN and JANICE SCHULZ, Hennepin County Master Gardeners Sustaining a School Garden through Collaboration and Student "Ownership" TIM LUTZ, Kelliher School, Superintendent and KRISTINA LOSSING, Kelliher School, Ninth Grade Student |
GARDEN CONNECTIONS Special Needs and Gardening MICHELLE DELIKOWSKI, Genesee Lake School, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin How to Keep Kids ENGAGED in the Garden: Lessons from Experiences with Student Gardeners JENNIFER EBELING, Still Growing Gardening Podcast Calling Greater Minnesota ULI KOESTER and DEB DILLEY, Minnesota Schoolyard Garden Coalition Building Partnerships for School Garden Success CALLIE RECKNAGEL and KIRSTEN SAYLOR, University of Minnesota Extension SNAP-ED
|
CASE STUDIES Year Round Innovating Gardening Solutions KARA WATTUNEN, Gatewood Elementary School, Minnetonka, Minnesota Interweaving Farm to School within the Middle School "Day" HEALTHY NORTHLAND FARM TO SCHOOL, Duluth, Minnesota Schoolyard Garden to Outdoor Classroom LINDSAY AIJALA, Scott County Public Health (Statewide Health Improvement Program) and DANA SMITH, Raven Stream Elementary School Community Supported Agriculture at West Education Center (Showcase & Presenter) JASON REESE and LARRAINE NAU, Minnetonka, Minnesota
|
HORTICULTURAL BEST PRACTICES Power in the Garden: Ranking Pollinator Effectiveness by Behavior and Morphology KARL FOORD, University of Minnesota- Extension Ten Plants that Changed Minnesota: TWO HOUR WORKSHOP MARY MEYER and DIANE NAREM, Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Extend your Schoolyard Gardening with Hydroponics LARRY CIPOLLA, Hennepin County Master Gardener
|
SCHOOLYARD GARDEN 201 How to Fund your School Garden Project KRISTEN STUENKEL and DAR FOSSE Making Connections in the Garden, Through hands-on plant Science and Nutrition MINDY ZITTEL and ANN LUKE They tried to bury us . . . they forgot we are SEEDS! JULIE RAPPAPORT, SLP SEEDS, St. Louis Park, Minnesota Overview of Legal and Policy Issues with Using Schoolyard Garden Produce MARY W. MARROW, Public Health Law Center |
*NEW* INNOVATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING SHOWCASE Congratulations Gatewood Elementary and Hopkins School District!

Year Round Innovating Gardening Solutions KARA WATTUNEN, Gatewood Elementary School, Minnetonka, Minnesota INNOVATOR GARDEN AWARD WINNER
Community Supported Agriculture at West Education Center JASON REESE and LARRAINE NAU, Minnetonka, Minnesota Schoolyard Garden and Master Gardener Collaborative Success Stories DIANA STRAATE with SUSAN B. ANTHONY MIDDLE SCHOOL and ROGERS ELEMENTARY S.T.E.M. SCHOOL, ANN DYBVIG,with HOWE ELEMENTARY and LARRY CIPOLLA with BRECK UPPER SCHOOL, Extension Master Gardener School Garden Resource Group, Hennepin County Space Obstacles at Barton Open School ULI KOESTER, SHEILA ELDRED, Minneapolis, Minnesota Sustaining a School Garden through Collaboration and Student "Owenership" TIM LUTZ, Kelliher Schools Year Round Innovating Gardening Solutions *WINNER* KARA WATTUNEN, Gatewood Elementary School, Minnetonka, Minnesota Spark-Y Sustainability Gardens: Year Round Dynamic Experiences for Youth ZACH ROBINSON They Tried to Bury Us . . . They Forgot we were SEEDS! JULIE RAPPAPORT, CURTIS WILSON St. Louis Park District Kids Place Daycare Edible Playgrounds and St. Louis Park and Rec Edible Playground Program
|
A certificate of completion for continuing education contact hours will be available to participants upon completion of the day.
VIEW 2016 PRESENTATIONS Follow the links on this page view presentations from the 2016 conference
View a slideshow of photos from the 2016 Conference
|
Appetite for Change
FEATURING the viral sensation Grow Food
To learn more about the mission and work of Appetitie For Change, visit http://appetiteforchangemn.org/
For more information about schoolyard gardens Email: ArbEdu@umn.edu Or mnsgcoalition@gmail.com Visit the Minnesota Schoolyard Garden Coalition Facebook page for more information
Cancellation Policy: Registration cancellations must be made two weeks prior to class date in order to receive refund. A $5 processing fee will apply.
A certificate of completion for continuing education contact hours will be available to participants upon completion of the day.
DOWNLOAD CONFERENCE FLYER
Financial Sponsor: Please contact Carrie Stowers at cstowers@umn.edu to discuss options and benefits for your organization. Sponsoring Organization Guidelines
Endorse: This no-cost option shows your support by helping to promote the program to your constituents. Contact Carrie Stowers at cstowers@umn.edu to confirm your endorsement. Endorsing Organization Guidelines
SPONSORS Minnesota Department of Education Minnesota Department of Health Minnesota State Horticultural Society University of Minnesota Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Program
ENDORSING ORGANIZATIONS
Action for Healthy Kids- Minnesota Climate Generation: A Will Steger Legacy College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences Edina Public Schools Harvest Moon Edible Landscapes Houston County Master Gardeners Jeffers Foundation Land by Hand Masters of Arts in Natural Sciences and Environmental Education Program at Hamiline Midwest Food Connection Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom Minnesota Association for Environmental Education Minnesota Green Schools Coalition Minnesota Department of Agriculture Minnesota Department of Education Minnesota Department of Health Pollinate Minnesota Public Health Law Center SLP SEEDS University of Minnesota Monarch Lab University of Minnesota Ramsey County Master Gardeners USGBC-MN Wozupi Tribal Gardens Youth Farm
PREFERRED CONFERENCE ACCOMMODATIONS
Country Inn & Suites By Carlson Chanhassen, MN Click here for additional area hotels
Financial hardship assistance may be available. Please call 612-301-1210 to inquire
|