La Semilla’s Farm to School program, formerly known as Edible Education, connects students, teachers, and schools across the Paso del Norte region to food, land, and the people who grow it. The work is organized around three pillars: Garden and Foodways Education, Technical Assistance and Resource Connectivity, and Local Procurement.
To support teachers across the Paso del Norte in bringing food and land education into the classroom, we develop Farm to School lessons and train teachers to lead them with their own students. Through these lessons, students learn where their food comes from, explore the difference between local and industrial food systems, and get familiar with the fruits and vegetables that grow in this region through the seasons.
Teachers bring seasonal cooking activities into the classroom using local ingredients and recipes from farm boxes that reflect what is growing in the region.
Farm to School cooking activities are available by registration to teachers in El Paso and Doña Ana Counties.
GROW is La Semilla’s 15-week afterschool garden program for elementary, middle, and high school students in the Las Cruces and Gadsden areas. Through hands-on gardening, cooking, and outdoor learning, students deepen their connection to food and land. Participating schools receive the curriculum, tools, and teacher training needed to run the program from start to finish.
Currently offered at select LCPS and GISD schools.
We support school communities in building lasting ownership of their gardens. Through virtual workshops and regional in-person learning sessions, teachers and school teams develop the skills, habits, and connections that keep a garden a living part of school life, where students can interact with, tend to, and learn from the food they grow.
Workshop topics are shaped by teachers’ interests, from outdoor classroom management to garden best practices and community engagement. Regional sessions bring garden educators and families together to practice skills, exchange ideas, and learn from one another. When questions or issues come up, schools can reach out for direct guidance, referrals to district resources, or help identifying the right next step.
La Semilla works with school food authorities to increase local food purchasing and bring more regionally grown produce into school meals. Through menu development, student taste tests, opportunities for student voice and choice, and cafeteria staff training, the program supports districts in building steady connections to local farmers and the food they grow.
Students and teachers experience this work through new menu items, chances to weigh in on what gets served, and locally grown food on the lunch tray.
Currently offered at select LCPS and GISD schools.
For questions about the program, reach out directly to: