Meiners Oaks Elementary School Garden

Food for Thought Ojai (FFTO) is the lead organization behind school gardens, agricultural literacy, environmental awareness and school food improvement in the Ojai Unified School District. Our School Garden Program brings knowledge, dedication, consistency and technical skills to create amazing school gardens, which enhance the educational experience of local students. The Meiners Oaks Elementary School Garden has been under the care and expertise of the FFTO since 2006 and over the past 6 years this garden has been transformed from fallow to a 6,000 sq. ft. fertile food forest that yields produce for sale to the school cafeteria. Grades K, 1 and 5 participate in garden-based curriculum while the Garden Club hosts 40-70 young gardeners each week including special-needs students. Students are eager to collect seeds for future planting, assist with transplants, water seedlings, dig and sift compost, search for bugs, shell beans, and harvest food which is then prepped into a garden fresh taste test each week. Meiners Oaks Garden Club sells starts, seeds, flowers, herbs and produce to school families a couple times per year and invests the earnings back into the garden.