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School Kids Fall Harvest Education at Trinity Gardens, Santa Barbara

Trinity Gardens, Santa Barbara opened as a mission outreach in 2012, providing space for church neighbors to serve alongside the congregation, growing food and building community. The garden has given over five tons of fresh produce to local charities during its five years of existence, increasing productivity and produce donations as the garden further develops. Trinity Gardens recently was honored with the 2017 Santa Barbara Beautiful award for Public Open Space. They have also been a major participant in the Santa Barbara Annual Seed Swap, giving out literally millions of diverse varieties of seeds, while also offering a range of children’s seed activities. About every other month the garden offers a garden-to-table culinary series – cooking classes that end in a sit-down luncheon meal. In 2015 Trinity Gardens was a recipient of a Charles and Mabel Warner Trust Grant. 

From October 10 through 27, over 700 students, their teachers, and many parents will be greeted by Trinity Gardens volunteers for a 5th year of educational field trips. This community outreach has become so popular that there are now waiting lists and an increasing number of volunteers needed to shepherd kids, preschool through 1st grade, to the small group activity learning stations.

Children often arrive two classes per busload. A large circle is formed on a car-free pavement area next to the garden. Program facilitator Judy Sims welcomes and leads an all-group harvest dance. The focus is to celebrate harvest gifts, share the garden’s community outreach programs, and introduce the field trip’s program.

An experienced volunteer team guides small groups of children and adults to four areas of the garden to experience 20+ minutes at each activity stations. The four stations engage kids in curriculum themed on pumpkins, seeds, food and nature, with approaches adapted to learning needs of the different ages.

Heading through a tunnel of amaranth and popcorn, one group gathers at a small hay bale circle for hands-on pumpkin experiences, before exploring a diversity of squash growing at different stages along straw covered, winding pathways. Students find their own sugar baby pumpkin to take home, and are then led through the garden gates, past the chickens and compost area to the Kids Rainbow Garden.

Gathering around a large, rainbow floor mat, students identify fresh produce and build a colorful food rainbow on the mat, while learning about how different colors of foods benefit the health of our body. After washing hands, all gather at harvest-decorated tables for rainbow colored fresh harvest snacking, each child having a specially prepared plate. Food has either been grown in the garden or generously donated by local markets. Volunteer Lisa Cousins handles all food preparations!

After composting any leftover food and paper products, the small group is shepherded through the back-garden gate, down stairs through the orchard, and gathers under the beautiful, large pepper tree, facing the mountains. Here an adult reads and sings several age-appropriate books that draw attention to the wonders of the natural world. Kids take a pinch of CA poppy seeds to disperse in the orchard on their way to the fourth and final learning station.

Following along the orchard’s stone wall pathway, the group stops briefly to meet a banana “pup” and experience bananas growing. Heading up stairs and past the greenhouse, they’ve now arrived at the 4th station to explore seeds and seed saving. The Little Red Hen, a large puppet, invites kids to help with grinding and growing wheat for her bread making to feed her chicks. Kids leave the garden, feeling that they’ve made a difference – taking care of themselves, others and the earth.