The Edible Schoolyard Project is a non-profit organization that promotes the integration of organic gardening and food education into school curriculums. The project was founded by chef Alice Waters in 1995 at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School in Berkeley, California. MLK Middle School has a one acre garden and kitchen classroom where students learn lessons on growing and cooking food that align with education standards. The program is based on the belief that students who grow, harvest, and prepare their own food are more likely to make healthy food choices and understand the connection between food and the environment.
The Project affectionately known as ESYP, offers a variety of resources including curriculum guides, lesson plans, as well as teacher training to help schools and organizations implement gardening and food education programs. ESYP believes that this approach helps to create a sustainable, regenerative food system by promoting the use of organic and local produce. The Edible Schoolyard Project has expanded to locations all over the world such as New York, Louisiana, and Australia.
The program has received recognition from various organizations such as the James Beard Foundation and First Lady Michelle Obama. The latest addition to programming includes a 6 acre farm in Stockton, California where local schools participate in a farm to table style field trip program. The farm also hosts community groups, and operates a free organic community supported agriculture program where over 100 bags of local organic produce are given away twice a month.
For more information on programming and/ or scheduling a field trip in Stockton visit www.edibleschoolyard.org/stockton
