School Garden Learning Network

The School Garden Learning Network is a longstanding grassroots approach to supporting the school garden movement in Napa County.

Over the last decade, the School Garden Learning Network has evolved, but the fundamental goals remain the same: growing school gardens through building capacity, sharing resources, and supporting horticultural learning within a community of practice.

Initially, garden educators gathered monthly under the informal direction of the Agriculture in the Classroom (AITC) program. In 2013, we launched The School Garden Task Force as a complimentary project of the UC Master Gardeners of Napa County.

These projects eventually coalesced into Napa Valley School Garden Network, led by Louann Talbert to increase the visibility and coordination of school garden educators. From 2017-2020, educators met monthly to learn and grow together.

What were once parallel efforts to support garden-based education, the School Garden Learning Network is a growing community of practice jointly led by school garden educators and community members.

Projects We’re Proud Of

The Z Project!

During the summer of 2019, members of the Napa Vally School Garden Network grew veggies for the cafeteria! Dubbed The Z Project, this pilot involved ten school and community gardens in growing, harvesting, and selling zucchini/summer squash to for school lunch. Read more about The Z Project in The Napa Register.