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.
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:
Garden site and soil development
Garden planning
Planting a garden
Caring for a growing garden
Harvesting and using garden bounty
Watch this space for upcoming Seed to Supper classes!
Volunteer
We coordinate meaningful tasks appropriate for all ages and abilities. Visit our volunteer page for contact information and hours.
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.
Please fill out an application and then message Jen Anonia here.
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 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.
The Youth Farm offers its participants: Educational activities, field trips, and guest speakers on gardening, nutrition, financial planning, and career development Training in customer service, leadership, and team work Access to fresh, organic fruits and vegetables The opportunity to serve their community by growing nutritious food for low-income households Healthy physical activity and a chance to make friends About 20 hours of work per week at minimum wage
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.
If you are between the ages of 15-18, and interested in applying, please fill out the application packet.
Guidelines for a successful application are as follows: Print neatly; illegible applications will be recycled! Answer every question completely and accurately 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 included youth farmer reference form. Please include the reference with your application, or have the person writing your reference mail, fax or email it to us by Monday, April 25.
Applications will be accepted until Monday, April 25. If you have any questions, call us at 541-915-2511, or e-mail gardens@foodforlanecounty.org.
All volunteers 16 yrs. and up are welcome to help at the Youth Farm!
Even though the duration says 7 hours, you do not need to arrive at 9 am or stay until 4 or 5 pm.
Whether you have a couple of hours or all day to volunteer, anytime you have to give is very much appreciated.
Planting, harvesting, weeding – there is so much we could use your help with.
Check in with Dan or Ted when you arrive!
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.
At the farm stand, we accept SNAP/EBT (matched up to $10 thanks to the Farmers Market Fund) as well as WIC Farm Direct Nutrition Coupons (which we match up to $4).
Trillium Veggie RX in Association with the FFLC Youth Farm
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.
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