The Garden is a Place
for Every Child
As a result of the unique and lasting partnership between Davis Farmers Market and the Davis Joint Unified School District, Davis has a garden in every public school and some private schools. Since the year 2000, Davis Farm to School has been part of a growing school garden movement in California and across the country.
Through school gardens, students have the opportunity to experience California agriculture with their heads, hands and hearts. Davis Farm to School builds relationships between school lunch programs and local farmers, thus educating students in healthy seasonal nutrition and in an awareness of our rich local agricultural community and heritage.
School gardens provide unique educational opportunities that supplement other academic programs. Field trips to local working farms and the Davis Food Coop teach kids about the sources of their food, how to cook it, and possibilities for careers in agriculture, food, bioscience, as well as the creative and hospitality fields.
Working together in the garden helps develop positive social skills and team building. Gardens nurture children of all abilities and enable the sharing of cultural traditions. Participation in school gardens gets kids off screens and into the sunshine. We believe that farm to school programs like ours can change the world.
Our Program Areas
Our work is made possible by a dedicated group of longtime volunteers.
School Gardens
We provide teaching resources and grant funding for each school garden. Each site develops its own kind of garden to fit into the school community. Garden coordinators work with students, teachers and volunteers to maintain gardens and provide educational programs at their sites.
Fresh Local Food
Davis Farm to School supports procurement of school lunch foods from local farmers. Davis Joint Unified central kitchen is equipped to prepare food grown at some school gardens. We help create relationships with local farms and farmers to foster understanding of our local school lunch system.
Field Trips
Farm visits connect students to farmers and working lands. The Little Chefs Program, our partnership with the Davis Food Coop, focuses on procurement of foods from local farms, shows kids the operations of a grocery store, and teaches them how food is received and stocked. Most of our field trips give kids opportunities to taste and cook farm fresh foods.
Waste Reduction
We support closing the loop in food waste using composting, food exchange and awareness. We offer training to students and garden volunteers in the benefits and methods of conserving natural resources and protecting the environment.
Our Mission
The mission of Davis Farm to School is to create an educational and cultural environment in our schools that connects food choices with personal health, community, farms and the land.
Leaderships
Nate Tauzer
Garden and Environmental Enrichment Coordinator for Davis Joint Unified School District, Farmer
Advisory Committee
Randii MacNear, Davis Farmers Market Executive Director
Lorie Hammond, Davis Farm to School Educational Outreach
Elizabeth Moon, Trustee, Liaison to the Davis School Board
Mark Powell, Davis Joint Unified School District Director of Student Nutrition Services
Ruth Coleman, Liaison for the Village Feast
Jennifer Rivas, Liaison for the PTA, Garden Cocoordinator at Pioneer School
Rachel Hillbert, Private School Liaison
Meghan Russell, Past Farm to School Program Director
Garry Pearson, Past Career and Technical Education Director
Davis Farm to School is run primarily by a dedicated group of longtime volunteers. We thank you for your support and welcome your interest in the organization.
Interested in Volunteering?
Related Reports & Guiding Documents
Memorandum of understanding with DJUSD, Sept. 2013
Improving Farmer Profitability By Forging Community Partnerships in Education, Davis Farmers Market Foundation: USDA/AMS Farmers Market Promotion Program, October 2006 – March 2008 Download (PDF; 1.3MB)
DJUSD Integrated Waste Management Policy (PDF; 59kb)
DJUSD Wellness Policy, updated 11-21-13 (PDF; 20kb)