Farm Bureau Awards $4,500 in Garden Grants to Local Schools

Taylor Hillman Education

Garden Grants
This fall, the education committee of the Tulare County Farm Bureau (TCFB) awarded grants to 16 schools throughout Tulare County. Every year, the education committee accepts applications from area schools who want to create or maintain gardens on their campuses.

Schools may apply for a $250 renewal grant if they have an existing garden, or for a $500 grant toward the creation of a new garden.  This year’s renewal grant recipients are: Alice G. Mulcahy Middle School in Tulare, Bartlett Middle School in Porterville, Eleanor Roosevelt Community Learning Center in Visalia, FJ White Learning Center in Woodlake, Fairview Elementary in Visalia, Hurley Elementary in Visalia, Liberty School in Tulare, Linwood Elementary in Visalia, Pioneer Middle School in Porterville, Rocky Hill Elementary in Exeter, Saucelito Elementary in Terra Bella, St. Aloysius School in Tulare, St. Paul’s School in Visalia, and Valley Life Charter Oak in Visalia.

New garden grant recipients are: Monache High School in Porterville and Palo Verde School in Tulare.

The schools were presented with their grant checks at Farm Bureau’s Superintendent’s Breakfast on November 19 at Visalia Technical Early College High School in Visalia. Garden grant recipients also have an array of resources they can access from the Tulare County Farm Bureau including garden workshops and plant giveaways held twice a year for Farm Bureau-sponsored gardens.

At any time, teachers may request a visit from the TCFB Beyond-the-Farm trailer; resources from the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom; and gardening advice from the University of California Master Gardeners.