Island Grown Initiative invites all Island educators to a three-day workshop on how to incorporate curriculum-tied farm- and school-garden based programs into their classes.

The Institute will run from August 11 to 13, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. There is no fee for Vineyard teachers, and 20 PDPs will be awarded.

Participants will:

• Develop project ideas on food and agriculture topics that promote service learning and link to the academic curriculum;

• Receive a set of practical, engaging lesson plans generated during the workshop;

• Experience activities that teach about the benefits of locally-grown food;

• Engage in hands-on gardening practices suited for school gardens;

• Prepare and taste classroom-friendly recipes using local farm products;

• Discuss ways to develop composting programs and solar greenhouses;

• Visit local farms and learn about existing opportunities for farm visits and curriculum-tied field trips;

• Strengthen partnerships with community and farming organizations and resources;

• Celebrate the beauty, learning, health and joy to be found in school gardens and local food from our local family farms.

Deb Habib, founder and director of nonprofit educational farm Seeds of Solidarity in Orange will lead two days of the workshop. Seeds of Solidarity has established seven garden and greenhouse projects with schools in their region and runs a popular after-school program for teenagers.

Spaces are limited. For more information or to reserve a place, call Noli Hoye at 508-645-9557 or e-mail nolihoye@gmail.com. You can see islandgrown.org.