The Edible Schoolyard

MISSION

The mission of the Edible Schoolyard at Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School is to create and sustain an organic garden and landscape that is wholly integrated into the school's curriculum and lunch program. It involves the students in all aspects of farming the garden – along with preparing, serving and eating the food – as a means of awakening their senses and encouraging awareness and appreciation of the transformative values of nourishment, community, and stewardship of the land.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

The following principles guide the design and conception of the Edible Schoolyard:

Participatory
The Executive Committee, Steering Committee, staff, teachers and students who help plan, develop, and manage the garden reflect the multicultural and demographic diversity of the school and community.

Ecological
The Garden is designed and maintained using sound ecological practices that are reflected in all aspects of the project, from the way the food is grown, harvested and prepared, to the recycling of waste back into the earth.

Aesthetic
The goal is to create a beautiful environment that will inspire personal and social responsibility, one that will also function as a model for other schools.

VALUES IN PLACE

View the Values in Place Slide Show, created by Alice Waters with images from the Edible Schoolyard.

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