Search
- Home
- Profiles
- Fontenot, Kathryn K.
- Articles
- LSU AgCenter Greauxing Gardens Program Information and Videos
Kathryn Fontenot, Roussel, Craig, Kuehny, Jeff S.
The LSU AgCenter has been fortunate to partner with many businesses and industry partners to provide Louisiana schools with the opportunity to Greaux a Garden right in their own school yard. Thanks to the financial support of partners including East Iberville Inc., Albemarle, EPA Environmental Education Grants, The Irene and C.B. Pennington Foundation, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana, and most recently Potash Corp (PCS Nitrogen) , K through 12 grade educators are invited to participate in two workshops. Workshops serve as crash courses in small scale vegetable production. Teachers dive into the workshops and learn how to construct raised beds, plant seeds and transplants, maintain and harvest vegetables. Not only are educators provided the knowledge to grow a garden but are also given the tools to create their very own. Each participating school receives 3 raised beds (4ft by 8ft), soil, seeds, transplants, tools, staking materials, fertilizers, irrigation supplies and more to grow a garden. This program is so very successful because of dedicated County Agents and Master Gardeners who share their time and knowledge with school teachers. Throughout the gardening process, LSU AgCenter state specialist, Kiki Fontenot, communicates with schools via emails, site visits and an online school garden newsletter Veggie Bytes. The videos below (produced by Eatel a local cable TV provider and Taylor Frey Productions) highlight some of the successes of this project. For just a little over $1,000 per school, Louisiana youth are engaging in nature, tasting fresh vegetables and getting their hands dirty all the while (shhh don't tell them....) learning about math, science, literature and more. To find out how to become a part of this program contact Kiki Fontenot kkfontenot@agcenter.lsu.edu