Our approach to garden education helps students learn the importance of food systems, resource conservation and connects their knowledge through hands-on experiences.
The Montezuma School to Farm Project unites our local agricultural heritage with our growing future by engaging students at the crossroads of food production, resource conservation, and nutrition through educational experiences.
Since 2009, the Montezuma School to Farm Project (MSTFP), a proud 501(c)(3) in southwestern Colorado, has focused on providing integrated, hands-on, school garden classes in Montezuma County. It began with a farm field trip for 40 Mancos students initiated by an AmeriCorps member in 2009. Since those barn doors first opened to local kids, the program has grown to incorporate seven school garden programs, a production market garden that provides over 5000 lbs of fresh produce, and a cutting-edge curriculum for more than 1,500 students every month.
The school garden provides teachers with a wonderful outdoor classroom. This environment, as well as the hands-on learning provided by the garden staff, engages students who do not regularly engage in a traditional classroom." -middle school teacher