Seed to Supper Partnership Information

What is Seed to Supper?

Seed to Supper is an in-depth beginning gardening program that gives novice and adult gardeners the tools they need to successfully grow a portion of their own food on a limited budget. Seed to Supper highlights practical, low-cost techniques for planning, building, maintaining, and harvesting a successful garden.

"Seed to Supper offers more than just garden education and improved access to healthy foods. It provides learners with transformative experiences that increase both individual and community food security through fostering food literacy, resiliency, community connectivity, and supportive social networks."  –Oregon Food Bank.

Seed to Supper began in Oregon at the Oregon Food Bank and Oregon State University and is being adapted for use by Penn State Extension in numerous Pennsylvania communities. The Seed to Supper curriculum has been shared with out-of-state partners and is currently being offered by Master Gardener programs and food banks in Washington State, North Carolina, Kentucky, Colorado, Pennsylvania, New York, and New Mexico.

Seed to Supper is offered in collaboration with community-based host agencies throughout Pennsylvania. Agencies affiliated with food pantries, housing authorities, Head Start programs, schools, churches, hunger‐relief agencies, women's shelters, senior agencies, community centers, probation systems, social services, recreation departments, farms, and more.

Why Partner with Extension Master Gardeners?

"Master Gardeners are a valuable resource for people who want to get some tips on gardening and growing their own food from a real expert." - Former US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.

• Penn State Master Gardeners provide an extensive volunteer network to help facilitate the course across the state and help expand the program's reach to underserved populations. Master Gardener volunteers most often use inclusive communication and foster the peer-to-peer learning approach.
• The Seed to Supper curriculum is offered free of charge to qualifying adults. A nominal fee may be charged to those above current poverty guidelines to defray some of the cost of supplies.
• Penn State Extension Master Gardener Program will provide the course book at no charge.
• The program will enroll at least eight to fifteen participants. Usually, for a six to nine-week period where they will attend a class each week for two hours, learning about all aspects of starting and maintaining a garden. (Class configurations are based on site and participant availability and can be adjusted).

Host Partner

Will provide the participants and a location for the classes. Garden space is a plus but not necessary. If funding is available, gardening supplies may be provided by the host agency as well. Local Master Gardener programs may also provide some gardening supplies if funding is available. Gardening supplies can be seeds, seedlings, potting mix, containers, fertilizers, and soil test kits when available.

Seed to Supper's Flexible Curriculum

The curriculum is adaptable to the needs and interests of the clients and host agency. Using a variety of methods as the situation necessitates. Using various techniques, which include PowerPoint presentations, recordings, hands-on activities, and peer discussions covering

• Choosing garden site location (in-ground, beds, or containers)
• Planning for your garden
• Soil development
• Planting
• Caring for the growing garden
• Harvesting and using your bounty
• Local garden resources

Extension-Based Nutrition and Health Option

The Family, Food & Community team at Penn State Extension may be available to offer additional information and programming to coincide with the Seed to Supper curriculum. Nutrition Links, Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP), SNAP Ed, food preservation, and cooking demonstrations are some of the possibilities.

Participant Application

Penn State Extension's applications are required for participants to register for this program. The application is designed to gather information that will help us adapt our curriculum specifically to your clients' needs. We also need to compile a baseline to measure our impact and the diversity of our outreach program. No personal information is shared.

Participant Evaluations

At the end of the course, we will ask participants and instructors to evaluate their experiences with the course content, effective/useful information, implementation, and possible improvement suggestions. From this information, we hope to improve our programming continually. Evaluations are anonymous.

To Become a Seed to Supper Partner

Contact your local Penn State Extension Master Gardener Program. For county coordinator or general information, contact Kinorea Tigri at kkt5317@psu.edu or Lori Voll-Wallace at lkw17@psu.edu. Please let us know which county you live in, along with your preferred email and phone number.