Seed to Supper

Seed to Supper: addressing food insecurity and nutrition through hands-on vegetable gardening and food preparation programs. 

With the input of Eat Smart NY and Putnam County Department of Health partners, we have identified communities in Putnam County where food is not always plentiful (indicators may include a need for supplemental school lunches). CCE Resource and Community Educators are building a network of community and agency partners that will work to address food security in these communities.

The Seed to Supper program offers free vegetable gardening classes and planting-supplies for those in need. The Seed to Supper curriculum originated with the Oregon Food Bank where it has been used since 2010 to help thousands of Oregon residents learn how to grow their own food. We have adapted this wonderful curriculum for growing conditions in New York State. Read more about the Seed-to-Supper program in Oregon. This program was the inspiration for Seed to Supper in NYS, and many thanks are owed to the generosity of the Oregon Food Bank for sharing their curriculum materials and allowing us to revise them for NYS!

Seed to Supper is a series of classes for beginning gardeners who want to learn to grow food on a budget. The classes are offered for FREE and are taught in Putnam County by trained Seed to Supper educators. Class participants are expected to attend each class, and will receive a free 100-page gardening manual, a certificate of completion, and free vegetable seeds and seedlings at the end of the course to plant in their own gardens.

The classes are taught through a combination of PowerPoint presentations and hands-on activities. Topics covered include planning a vegetable garden, soil preparation, composting, planting, garden maintenance, pests and diseases, and harvesting. Participants will receive free vegetable transplants at the end of the class series.

Activities for children engage young gardeners, while adults follow the curriculum above.

Last updated August 5, 2024