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Entrance to College Hill Learning Garden / Photo Courtesy of Education Outside
Here’s a fun family activity for Earth Day, Monday, April 19th, at the College Hill Learning Garden near Holly Park. They’re holding a free three-part series on how to start a windowsill or balcony garden.
So often with the high cost of city living, having space to garden is a luxury.
This series will include all the materials you need to start your own herb garden. There will be cooking demonstrations using some of the herbs, complete with small bites to taste. And you’ll learn how to make your own compost to keep it all self-sustainable.
That’s free food and gardening for the family!
A Brief History of the College Hill Learning Garden
With real estate at a premium in San Francisco, everyone has to learn to make the most of outdoor spaces. This educational garden is built where the groundskeeper’s cottage once was at the College Hill Reservoir. It’s in the heart of Bernal Heights near Holly Park.
1914 College Hill Reservoir / Photo Courtesy of Open SF History
In 2014, the city sought to find more creative ways to use our reservoirs. Three organizations came together to create a learning garden with an agricultural-focused curriculum for San Francisco schools. The space was designed by a group of architects, landscape designers, and educators with a specific curriculum in mind to educate kids about agriculture. The garden and programs are run by the nonprofit, Education Outside. And the SF Public Utilities Commission (PUC) still owns the land.
Its mission is to serve public school students through free field trips. It’s for everyone from pre-school to college age students.
Each section of the garden corresponds with a lesson plan.
There are vegetable and fruit tree areas where basic lessons are taught about our food system. Kids learn where fruits and vegetables come from before they get to the grocery store. They teach about composting. There’s a composting toilet on site, a three-bin system and even worm bins.
So if you still don’t know what a kohlrabi is, this free public workshop will expand your food horizons!
How To Register for the Free Workshops Open to the Public
The Education Outside team is offering three separate workshops. The central theme is growing your windowsill garden. Participants are welcome to sign up, in advance, for one, two or all three workshops. These are open to the public for families and the community to enjoy the garden and learn.
Please sign up in advance via this Eventbrite page so they can provide all the materials for your gardening glory.
Workshops to learn how to Grow, Eat and Compost from Your Windowsill Garden
Workshop #1: Upcycled Container Growing From Your Windowsill or Balcony (4:00 pm-5: 00 pm)
Plant low cost, low maintenance plants, and herbs for a small space or windowsill garden
Workshop #2: Windowsill Produce Cooking Demonstration
(5:00 pm-6:00 pm)
Cook a fresh spring risotto using the herbs you plant in workshop #1. A few stations will be set up for cooking demos with small bites and recipes to take home
Workshop #3 Windowsill Composting and DIY Worm Bins
(6:00 pm-7:00 pm)
This is where the gardening trifecta, growing, eating, and composting comes together. Learn how to make your own fresh compost at home. Includes DIY warm bins that are small and can fit under your sink. Minimal composting at home will make your window sill garden flourish.
Each workshop has a cap of 50 people so please sign up in advance for each workshop. You can register on this Eventbrite page here. Activities are suitable for most ages of children and adults.
Event Location and Details
WHEN: Monday, April 22, 2019
4:00pm -7:00pm
WHERE: College Hill Learning Garden: 336 Elsie Street in San Francisco
Near Holly Park in Bernal Heights. The site is a 20-25 minute walk from Glen Park BART Station. Also accessible via Muni using the 24, 23, 67, 14 and 49 bus lines.
Register for FREE via this Eventbrite link for one, two or all three of these family-friendly workshops.
CONTACT INFO: If you have other questions, please contact the program manager Danny Palmer at dpalmer@educationoutside.org
Support the Learning Garden on Social:
Instagram: @LearningGardenSF
Facebook: College Hill Learning Garden
Website: EducationOutside.org/CollegeHill
Photos courtesy of the Open SF History and Education Outside
Jen Baxter is a content writer and strategist helping companies craft the story of their business online. You can find more of her work at JenBaxter.com.
