In 2010 San Diego Unified worked closely with the San Diego County Department of Environmental Health to establish a culinary school garden agreement which allows students to harvest their garden-grown produce and serve it as part of the school meal program. The established Garden to Café Protocol is intended to ensure that the school garden identified is a safe food source for the school kitchen facility to serve garden-grown food on the salad bar.
In order for a school to participate in the Garden to Cafe Program, the school has to have an established garden with a designated garden coordinator. The first step in receiving certification is for the garden coordinator to attend the Garden to Cafe Training, which is held three times a year. After the training, the garden coordinator fills out the designated Protocol, hosts a site garden inspection and works closely with Food Services.
For more information and to find out when the next Garden to Café Training is scheduled, please email Janelle Manzano at [email protected].