TEACH THEM HOW

I can remember a child standing in a garden, holding the first tomato they have ever grown. They planted the seed. They watered it. They watched the tiny green stem break through the soil. They learned to protect it from insects, pull weeds, and care for it. Months later, they finally get to harvest it.

But then comes the most important question:

“What happens when the garden stops producing?”

That question is at the heart of Teach Them How.

At Set In Stone Sustainability Farm, we believe that giving a child food is important—but teaching a child how to grow, preserve, prepare, and save food can change the future of an entire family.

Many children know that food comes from a grocery store. They may not know how much work happens before that food reaches the shelf. They may not understand why food spoils, what happens when crops are harvested faster than they can be sold, or how families can preserve food so that today's harvest can become tomorrow's meal. 

Teach Them How changes that.

Through this hands-on program, elementary and middle school students become gardeners, scientists, food preservers, and problem-solvers.

Students learn how to build a garden or raised bed. They learn how to prepare soil, plant seeds, cultivate crops, identify what plants need to thrive, and care for their growing food. They experience the excitement of watching something they planted become something they can eat.

But we don't stop at the harvest.

Students then learn how to preserve what they have grown.

They explore the science behind food preservation and learn appropriate methods such as canning and dehydration. They learn why food spoils, how moisture and temperature affect food, and why safe food-handling practices matter.

Then something powerful happens.

The food they grew becomes food they can save.

A cucumber can become something that lasts beyond the growing season. Fruits and vegetables that might otherwise spoil can become preserved foods that can be enjoyed later. Students begin to understand that food is a resource—and that wasting it is not our only option.

At the end of the program, students showcase their preserved foods.

They stand proudly beside something they created with their own hands.

But what they are really showcasing is much bigger than a jar of food.

They are showcasing knowledge.

And knowledge can feed a family long after the program ends.

Your support helps provide the materials students need to experience the entire journey:

Seed *Garden *Harvest *Preserve *Share

Your donation can help provide:

• Seeds and gardening supplies
• Raised-bed materials
• Soil and growing supplies
• Gardening tools
• Food preservation equipment
• Canning and dehydration supplies
• Food-safe containers and packaging
• Educational materials
• Hands-on science activities
• Nutrition and food literacy education

Every contribution helps create an opportunity for a student to learn something they can carry for the rest of their life.