It all started in 1995 with the idea that we can transform children's relationship with food if we give them a taste of what's possible. To demonstrate this simple truth, Alice Waters created the first Edible Schoolyard in partnership with the principal at a public middle school in Berkeley.
As the idea took shape, a committed and creative coalition of educators, families, farmers, cooks, and artists joined the effort. Involving students directly was key: with their participation, an organic garden took root and flourished as a rich learning environment, while a kitchen classroom brought everyone to the table to share.
Alice Waters's idea is known as edible education. Edible education is flourishing across the country and globe, evidenced by the nearly 6,000 member programs in our network. Our program in Berkeley supports the movement by providing resources and offering trainings to educators from all over the world.
Today, Alice is advocating for school meal programs that provide free, regeneratively-farmed meals for every child, K - 12. This model, called school supported agriculture, supports the health and wellness of children, farmers, farmworkers, and school food service workers while addressing climate change through carbon sequestering farming practices. At the heart of this work is the conviction that nutrition begins in the soil.
