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SchoolyardActiveSince 1995

The Edible Schoolyard

Berkeley, United States · Operator: The Edible Schoolyard Project

Overview

A food-education program founded in 1995 by chef Alice Waters at a public middle school, using an organic garden and kitchen as classrooms to teach academics and the values of nourishment.

Citizen participation

Students grow, harvest, and cook food in the organic garden and kitchen classroom as part of the academic curriculum, with community volunteers also involved.

Operating model

Run by a non-profit funded through donations, grants, and training programs, serving as a hub for a national edible-education network.

Impact

Changed how Berkeley students eat and became a model for the nationwide edible-education movement, addressing climate, health, and social inequality.

Crops

  • vegetables
  • herbs
  • fruit

Scale

4,000 m²Approx 1-acre organic garden at MLK Jr. Middle School serving ~1,000 students

Sources(2)

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The Edible Schoolyard — Urban Farm DB