Gardening

The CalFresh Healthy Living, University of California (CFHL, UC) Garden Initiative utilizes the garden as a tool to educate, promote the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, and improve nutrition security. Gardens are built environments which support healthy eating and physical activity behaviors. Gardens also improve access to healthy foods. Research shows that participation in garden interventions, from planting to harvest, is linked to increased willingness, preference, and consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables (Savoie-Roskos, M.R, et al, 2017).

Evidence-based, garden-enhanced nutrition curriculum is used to deliver direct and indirect education to CFHL-eligible participants in schools, early childhood education centers, and communities. Participants range from youth to adults and are actively engaged in the learning process through hands-on gardening activities.

A comprehensive approach supports participants in learning practices to grow food and change their environment while nutritional education objectives are reinforced. SNAP-Ed supports food related gardening with allowable costs for seeds, plants, small gardening tools and soil.

The CFHL, UC Garden Initiative strives to support policy, system and environmental change (PSE) strategies by helping to expand, reinvigorate, maintain or create new food gardens. Collaboration with local partners is vital to grow thriving, sustainable food gardens. Training and technical assistance is provided to support food gardens and encourage healthy eating and an active lifestyle.

CFHL, UCCE programs connect and coordinate with local partners to implement garden-enhanced, nutrition education programming or PSE changes by:

• Providing direct or indirect education using garden-enhanced nutrition curriculum delivered as a series
• Coordinating a garden committee to support daily garden maintenance and promotion of healthy eating at a site
• Establishing community food gardens in low-income areas, such as public housing sites, eligible schools, and qualifying community sites;
• Assisting with starting a school garden and starting a farm-to-school program;
• Facilitating youth-led garden programs.
• Working with Tribal community volunteers to plant a kitchen garden at a Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) program site

CalFresh Healthy Living, UC partners with the UC Master Gardener Program to support school and community gardens in receiving science-based horticultural information and best practices.