Gardens

Kids harvesting cabbage. text reads grassroots garden   Young girl holding an ear of corn and smiling. text reads youth farm  Kids harvesting corn and smiling. text reads seed to supper & gardening workshops.

Gardens program

FOOD for Lane County’s two gardens — the GrassRoots Garden and the Youth Farm — grow fresh nutritious food for distribution through the FFLC network of partner agencies while providing opportunities for youth and adults to grow, learn and contribute to their community. More than 2,000 children and youth visit the gardens each year, and youth and adults gain skills in gardening, nutrition, and community building.

Seed to Supper & Gardening Workshops:

  • Attend a Seed to Supper Class Series
    Seed to Supper™ is a free beginning vegetable gardening course that teaches participants how to garden on a budget. In this interactive class, participants gain new knowledge and skills to be able to start a garden and grow some of their own food. Trained and experienced volunteer educators teach the class primarily indoors with visits to on-site gardens when available. Students who complete the course have access to a course booklet, seeds, organic compost and fertilizers and other goodies.

Course topics:

 

  • Be a Seed to Supper Volunteer
    Seed to Supper is a comprehensive, six-week beginning gardening course that gives novice, adult gardeners the tools they need to successfully grow a portion of their own food on a limited budget. Seed to Supper Garden Educator volunteers teach classes at community host sites. FOOD for Lane County offers Seed to Supper in partnership with Oregon Food Bank.

  • Attend a workshop
    Contact us for the latest schedule for workshops on beginning and advanced gardening skills.
  • Visit the gardens
    Schedule a field trip and service learning opportunity for your school, organization or business.

The GrassRoots Garden

Due to the pandemic, the GrassRoots Garden is closed to volunteers at this time.

Please email Dan Budd or call him at 541-343-2822 to hear about other volunteer opportunities.

Kids kneel and harvest cabbage.

The GrassRoots Garden is a 2.5-acre garden that includes a City of Eugene compost demonstration site and a full outdoor kitchen. FFLC staff maintain the GrassRoots Garden with help from thousands of children, youth and adult volunteers. Staff and OSU Lane County Extension Master Gardeners teach workshops and lead educational activities in the garden.

Where: 1465 Coburg Road, Eugene, OR 97401 (Behind St. Thomas Episcopal Church)
Volunteer hours: November through April: Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, 10am – 4pm. May through October: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 9am – 4pm. Ask for Merry or Zoë.

 

The Youth Farm

We are scheduling small groups of adult volunteers on a limited basis. Please email Dan Budd or call him at 541-343-2822 to schedule.

youth farm sign behind a large amount of fresh produce

The Youth Farm is a 5 acre urban educational farm and a work experience site for youth. Each year, community volunteers assist staff in growing over 100,000 pounds of organic produce, learning while growing. Each summer, a crew of teens works at the farm where they receive job skills and training in gardening, leadership, financial management and nutrition while growing food for FFLC and for a 100+ member Community Supported Agriculture Program and two produce stands.

Summer 2021 – Become a Youth Farmer!

Youth will be working with us at the farm from May 22-September 25, and the Youth Farm schedule does not conflict with school schedules.

Participating at the Youth Farm is fun, fulfilling, and challenging! Our expectations of participants are high; crewmembers make a commitment to show-up on time on their scheduled days ready to participate productively and in all kinds of weather. The position also involves some heavy lifting, bending-over for extended periods, and doing repetitive physical activities. We have safety protocols in place because of the COVID pandemic, including mandatory mask wearing and social distancing.

If you are between the ages of 15-18, and interested in applying, please fill out this 3-page application.

Please note: most of the positions are open to youth living in households with incomes under 200% of the federal poverty level. Guidelines for a successful application are as follows:

1) Print neatly; illegible applications will be recycled!
2) Answer every question completely and accurately
3) Let us know what’s great about you, and what you can offer!

In order for your application to be considered complete, you need to have an adult who knows you well, but is not a member of your family, fill out the attached youth farmer reference form. Please include the reference with your application, or have the person writing your reference mail or email it to us by April 26.

Applications will be accepted until April 26, 2021. If you have any questions, call us at 541-915-2511, or e-mail us here.

 

Where: 705 Flamingo Avenue, Springfield, OR 97477
Volunteer hours:

  • February: Wednesday and Saturday, 10am – 4pm
  • March – November: Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 9am – 4pm – Ask for Ted or Dan
  • December and January: Closed to drop-in volunteers

 

Trillium Veggie RX in Association with the FFLC Youth Farm

veggie rx logo

Trillium Veggie Rx provides access to free fresh fruits and vegetables to patients as a way to help with a variety of health conditions, or if they screen positive for food insecurity using the Screen & Intervene screening tool. The patient takes the vegetable prescription/voucher to the FFLC Youth Farm stand, or gets a subsidized weekly box of vegetables.

Want to become a Community Supported Agriculture member?

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) establishes a direct link between food consumers and food growers. FFLC’s Youth Farm currently offers CSA memberships. Find out more about the program here.