Garden School Foundation

Time for a compost close up! 🔎

We just wrapped up our first year of Cafeteria to Compost programming at Gardner Street Elementary school, and our tumblers and bokashi bins are now full of uneaten cafeteria food scraps that otherwise would have gone into the landfill. Over the past year, Gardner students have loved getting to sift finished compost and watch their school garden grow as a result of the added nutrients. 🪱

Summer break starts this week! During dry Southern California summers, one of the main challenges gardeners face is keeping crops consistently watered.

We use ollas in many of our school gardens to conserve water and provide steady hydration to our crops. These porous clay pots have been used for irrigation for over 4,000 years, helping to reduce water loss from evaporation and encourage deeper root growth! 🌱

We bury them in our raised beds, and as the surrounding soil dries, the clay slowly releases moisture directly to plant roots, helping them retain access to moisture during periods of extreme heat. What methods do you use to conserve water in your garden?💧

Did you know that GSF’s school-based Farmers Markets take place year round?

Food insecurity has been shown to increase during the summer months as children and families lose access to crucial school meals. To support food security in our communities, GSF’s Farmers Markets will continue providing 9,000 lbs of fresh produce to over 225 school families each month. From bananas to dragonfruit, asparagus, and more, we love getting to share fresh produce and connect over our favorite recipes at each market. 🍌

Looking for a way to help enhance food access in your local community? Join us as a volunteer at one of our Farmers Markets to help transport and distribute produce. For more information about volunteering at a Farmers Market, please reach out to us at [email protected].🥭

Gardening can offer meaningful benefits for people navigating housing insecurity, including the opportunity to find moments of calm and gain practical skills in a supportive environment. This year, GSF began a new partnership with , an organization whose essential work provides housing and support services to help people transition out of homelessness. 🌱

Together, we established new garden spaces at four sites and hosted hands-on workshops where residents learned accessible ways to grow their own food. 🥬

Through this collaboration, we are extending our impact beyond school campuses to cultivate community spaces that support the well-being of all Angelinos. 🌿

From handmade kites to soaring flights, 24th Street Seed to Table students are celebrating the end of the school year with creativity and laughter! How are you preparing for summer break? 🪁 🦋 ☀️

Are you passionate about sustainability and outdoor education? Garden School Foundation (GSF) is hiring a full-time Site Lead to join our team! As a GSF Site Lead, you’ll lead Seed to Table garden and nutritional cooking classes, tend an organic, edible school garden, and oversee compost program operations. Applications are now open through June 15th, 2026. 🌱

Our school garden at Rockdale Elementary has been a treasured source of green space for the school community since 2013, and we are proud to support LAUSD’s recent efforts to green the campus further as part of their Sustainable Environment Enhancement Development for Schools (SEEDS) program.🌳

In collaboration with the Rockdale PTA, Garden Educator Ms. Janelle has supported the planning process this school year. With every new collaboration, our gardens become resilient through connection and collective care, bringing us one step closer to a greener future. 🍃

Our students are cooking up more than delicious snacks! As they mix and chop their way through each recipe, they learn the origins and cultural history of every dish along the way. 🌎

Recently, fifth graders created their own twist on dolmas by stuffing garden-fresh spinach leaves with herbed brown rice, cheese, dried cranberries, and tzatziki. With 60 recipes, each Seed to Table cooking class is a new adventure in cooking and culture. 🍽️

Beneficial microbes keep our gardens thriving!🔬

They are central to Korean Natural Farming (KNF), an environmentally friendly agricultural approach that relies on naturally occurring microorganisms to build soil health and reduce the need for synthetic fertilizers.

Using everyday ingredients like rice, fruit, and spices, growers create fermented solutions that introduce beneficial microbes back into the soil to enhance plant growth and resilience. 24th Street Garden Educator Teacher Perren created these fermentations made from different fruits! 🍎

Incorporating techniques like KNF into our school gardens allow us to experiment and learn alongside students. By using lots of different gardening techniques, we create more sustainable growing spaces while introducing students to the diverse agricultural traditions that have shaped how communities around the world grow food. 🌍

For more than two decades, GSF has been teaching kids to grow, cook, and compost at public schools in Los Angeles. We are proud to work alongside our communities to nurture a healthy and mindful generation of children who care for their bodies, their communities, and the earth. 🌱🍇🌎

Today, we celebrate California Nonprofits Day and the collective impact nonprofits like GSF make every single day. To honor this special occasion, consider supporting GSF or your favorite nonprofit with a gift or volunteer time. Check out our stories to learn more about other local nonprofits doing great work throughout Los Angeles. Together we make change possible! 💪