Our Educational Garden beds are at the heart of our educational programs here at Rio Fernando Park. School groups, high school interns, college students, and other young adults learn leadership, organization and other social-emotional skills as they work together to start seeds, augment the soil, create compost, or manage pests and weeds. In the fall, interns harvest food and learn to process and preserve it through cooking classes, horno workshops, and food preservation classes. We use no-till practices in our gardens and focus on agro-ecological growing principles. We seek to have a growing space that enriches soil diversity, improves water infiltration, and fosters human community as well.
Educational Gardens FAQ:
I have a camp/class/homeschool group. How can we get involved in the Educational Gardens?
Definitely. Availability for agricultural programs is seasonal, but we love visitors and we can tie a hands-on service opportunity in with a 20-30 minute lesson tied to your curriculum. Check out our Education pages for more information and email wicks@taoslandtrust.org to sign up.
Can I volunteer?
Yes, we offer community volunteer days and also welcome independent volunteers who prefer to work alone. Check out our Volunteer page for more information.
Do you sell your food?
Most of our harvest goes home with our interns or with students participating in
programming. Any remaining food is donated to local food pantries, given away to local families on spontaneous “Free Food Giveaway” days, or sold at the Talpa Farmer’s Market on Fridays. Follow us on social media for the latest updates and to not miss out on any upcoming sales.