Juan de Onate Elementary School Garden

Juan de Onate School garden is a garden set in a government subsidized housing unit on the Northside of Gallup, NM. The garden has been in existence for 5 years, but has struggled to become well established due to changing locations, vandalism, and inconsistent leadership. In the past two years the school garden has really flourished due to a few school champions and the help from FoodCorps service members. The garden now has regular visitors in the forms of whole classes, school staff, and community members. The philosophy of the garden and the focus on health, nutrition, sustainibility, and entrepreneurship is begining to take hold in the school in the way of regular lessons, connections with the lunch staff, and community events.
Each month the school garden hosts family food nights, events that focus on community meal sharing, cooking and health education, and having fun! We also strive to connect with local growers in an effort to procure local food for school lunches. The Juan De Oñate Garden is ripe with potential and only needs time and increased awareness before it is well invested in and utilized.