The mission of United General District 304 is to improve the health and quality of life for the residents of the communities it serves, and the mission of the Foundation of District 304 is to financially support the programs that are offered. Sedro-Woolley Farm to School serves students, families, and community members who live within the Sedro-Woolley School District boundaries.
How Will Your Shopping Trip Support Sedro-Woolley Farm to School?
Funds received through 5% Friday will be used to further Farm to School (F2S) efforts in the Sedro-Woolley School District (SWSD). Specifically, funds will support staff time, supplies, and materials as the program continues to develop the new Cascade Middle School (CMS) food production garden. This new garden will significantly expand the F2S initiative in SWSD by integrating food systems education at the middle school level. Once the CMS garden is open for lessons in Fall 2025, Sedro-Woolley F2S will be poised to begin serving every student in the district and eventually grow produce that will end up on students' plates.
Over the past year, F2S has been partnering with CMS to explore interest and motivation for garden-based education efforts. All SWSD students attend CMS in 7th and 8th grade, providing an opportunity to reach all students with food systems education and outdoor learning. In late 2024, F2S received a $5,000 Waste Not Washington grant from the Department of Ecology to conduct student-led food waste reduction projects at CMS. Linked to these projects, students began working on establishing a food production garden, with the long-term goal of growing food to integrate into SWSD school meals. In the spring, F2S acquired the use of a 20’x50’ in-ground garden space adjacent to CMS. Students spread compost and covered the area with black plastic to kill the sod. This fall, students uncovered the garden space, broad forked the sod, and planted the very first cover crop of winter wheat and field peas to add nutrients over the cold months.
Farm to School conducted a visioning session with staff, who are excited for the cross-curricular and hands-on learning the garden will offer. This spring, F2S will form permanent raised rows and plant its very first food crops!