Oysterponds Elementary and Greenport High School Edible Education Initiative

To facilitate, encourage and promote the development of Edible Education in the local school district.

The garden at Oysterponds Elementary is in the beginning stages, while the garden at Greenport High School is well-established.

The Greenport High School cafeteria incorporates herbs, lettuce and tomatoes from the garden into student meals.  Garden produce is also used in the Careers & Cooking Class, and in STEAM labs.  Oysterponds Elementary started a Garden Club in 2018, where hands-on garden activities and creative use of imagination are explored and encouraged.  Garden Club activities include winter sowing, garden design and descriptions, sign making and painting, reading and creative writing about plant cycles, taste testing and learning techniques for harvest preservation;  as the children prepare for the new garden.

In 2019 Slow Food of the East End launched a Chefs to Schools pilot program for Oysterponds sixth-graders.

We are currently developing these programs to create a holistic Seed to Table program.

Our program is child-centered, place-based and encourages active and kinesthetic learning.  We envision the garden serving as both an outdoor classroom and living labratory where multiple disciplines and curriculum are weaved into the daily activities of the garden.