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Our website is funded by generous donors and a start-up grant from the agricultural license plate program of Maine Ag in the Classroom.

About Us

Original-4a_editedThe Maine School Garden Network is a group of committed individuals who believe in the value of teaching children to garden.  We volunteer our time and knowledge to provide guidance and support to anyone who works with educational gardens in Maine.  Advisory Board members have experience and skills in such diverse fields as education, nutrition, horticulture, agriculture and soil science, environmental studies, community building, and resource management.  We meet monthly in southern Maine.  We are sponsored by the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association.

We can always use new people and ideas.   If you would like to find out more about us, volunteer to be a local resource for teachers, or otherwise get involved in the exciting work we are doing, contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

We hope you will find valuable information here to get your garden project started, or to enrich an existing project.  We appreciate your contributions to the site, and hope you will tell others about the Maine School Garden Network!

 

History of the Maine School Garden Network

The Maine School Garden Network (MSGN) was created in 2002 through the dedicated volunteer efforts of dietitian Anne Johnson and professor Mary Bird, with encouragement from the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association. They designed an organization that would support and promote school garden programs, realizing that through such programs children would:

  • Learn how food and fiber is grown and gain an understanding of Maine agriculture
  • Experience growing, preparing, and enjoying their own food
  • Discover first-hand the connection between locally-grown fresh produce and good health
  • Participate in a garden-based curriculum to enhance learning across subject areas
  • Spend active time outdoors, cultivating an appreciation for nature
  • Be part of a project which connects their school with the local community

For several years, the Maine School Garden Network held conferences and distributed newsletters. Unfortunately, Anne Johnson passed away in late 2004, and the work of the MSGN was set aside. In the fall of 2008 Jessica Rhys, formerly of Cultivating Community, gathered volunteers and the Network began holding regular meetings again. During 2009, a MSGN advisory board was formed and we began formulating new goals and projects.  A grant from Maine Ag in the Classroom has funded this updated website and promotional efforts.


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