Dingle Elementary

Started 15 years ago, the Dingle garden is an oasis of insects, seedlings, weeds, flowers, vegetables, and children. Yet the reality of food scarcity and poverty has made the garden more than a place of beauty: in the last two years it has evolved into a place of nutrition and agricultural studies for children. Now the garden is a place where children meet weekly to plant seedlings, observe plant growth, and finally, harvest the food they've grown to deliver and serve in the cafeteria. Over time we hope that students will bring all this knowledge of healthy eating back home. The Whole Foods grant covers a variety of needs: to fund supplies for gardening, to pay a stipend to a UC Davis intern 8 hours a week January-June, and to supplement a cooking class for Kindergarten and First grade students who will learn about making healthy food choices while cooking and tasting recipes full of fresh vegetables and whole grains.