Garden & Nutrition
Over ten years ago, a group of parents came together to create a beautiful school garden and outdoor classroom at Julian Elementary. Since then the garden program has grown steadily, and students now have weekly garden classes during the day and after school. Our garden includes more than 20 fruit trees, raised garden beds for edibles, a native plant area, hundreds of flowers, a wildlife habitat designation, a rainwater harvesting system, and an outdoor cooking area. The space also includes a beautiful locally sourced wooden table and benches that seats a whole class!
To grow stewards by fostering character enrichment, academics, healthy habits, creativity and community building through the beauty of gardening.
We grow food. We promote good nutrition by planting, tending, harvesting and eating organic fruit, vegetables and herbs.
We grow citizens. We connect children to the natural world and create environmental stewards.
We grow character. We learn leadership, responsibility, and respect when we work in the garden.
We grow practical gardening skills. We learn the nuts and bolts of growing a garden.
We grow beauty. We enjoy our peaceful, beautiful garden as it relaxes our bodies, inspires our minds, and ignites our creativity and imagination.
We grow academics. We study biology, ecology and natural history in our garden classroom
We grow stories. We develop a “sense of place” as we build a garden that reflects who we are as individuals, as a school and as residents of Julian and the backcountry.
We grow community. We create positive relationships among students, staff, parents and neighbors when we work together.
Each year, we help the Julian Union Elementary School District celebrate Food Day.
We create a full-day schedule of presentations and activities in partnership with a variety of agencies from throughout the county. The entire day is dedicated to fun, interactive and hands-on workshops demonstrating farming techniques, sustainable agriculture, farm-to-table food systems, good nutrition, healthy habits, cooking techniques, local food producers and environmental health.
