School Food Forest Design Webinar

Introduction

• Speaker: SH Perkle, Ed of the School Garden Support Organization Network (SGSO)
• Event: School Food Forest Design Webinar
• Co-hosts: National Farm to School Network
• Key Participants:
  • Debbie Lael and Eddie Rinos, Miami Education Fund
  • Lany Klein King and Jorge Espinosa, Growing Healthy Kids, Northern California

National Farm to School Network Overview

• Presenter: Tomas Delgado, Program Manager
• Location: Urbana, Illinois
• Mission: Promote nourishing, sustainable, local, and culturally relevant foods in ECE and K-12 settings
• Collaborations: School Garden Support Organization
• Goals:
  • Foster conversations on agroforestry and school gardens
  • Address food security, food accessibility, community trauma, and climate change
  • Highlight indigenous ecological knowledge and sustainable agricultural practices

Webinar Logistics

• Duration: 1 hour and 15 minutes
• Q&A in the last 15 minutes
• Webinar is recorded and will be available online
• Feedback requested to improve future webinars

Growing School Garden Summit

• Location: San Diego
• Dates: March 15-18
• Partners: SGSO Network, Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation, LIF Lab

Miami Education Fund's Food Forest Program

• Speakers: Eddie Rinos and Debbie Lael
• Location: Miami Dade County
• Program Overview:
  • 71 schools with gardens, 30 with food forests
  • Over 20,000 students involved annually
• Food Forest Principles:
  • Based on edible perennials
  • Build habitat, biodiversity
  • Multi-layered and regenerative
• Design Elements:
  • Defined entrances and exits
  • Pathways for accessibility
  • Outdoor classrooms for lessons
  • Banana circles for composting and nutrient recycling

Growing Healthy Kids' Community Food Forest

• Speakers: Lany Klein King and Jorge Espinosa
• Location: Northern California
• Project Goal: Create a community food forest from scratch
• Funding and Support:
  • Green Schoolyards of America for site assessment
  • Whole Kids Foundation Grant for initial setup
  • Cal relief Treecovery Grant for native tree planting
  • School district support for fencing and water
• Design Process:
  • Community engagement and input
  • Incorporate indigenous knowledge and permaculture
  • Focus on outdoor classrooms, ecological food production

Design and Implementation Challenges

• Site Preparation: Secured fencing, dedicated water source
• Community Involvement: Engaging community members and school district
• Irrigation: Necessary in drought-prone areas

Discussion and Q&A Highlights

• Engagement with Students:
  • Students involved in design and planting
  • Education on identifying edible plants
• Safety and Access:
  • Structure and scheduling for student access
  • Addressing allergy concerns
• Integration with School Curriculum:
  • Involving cafeteria for food use
  • Summer maintenance by dedicated staff
• Climate Zone Adaptation:
  • Research on local perennial plants
  • Adaptation based on regional ecological knowledge

Conclusion

• Encouragement to engage with and respect indigenous practices
• Importance of sustainable food practices in education
• Call for feedback and ongoing engagement in future webinars