Sooner State News

The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry has announced the winners of the third annual Oklahoma Farm to School Garden Contest. Sponsored by the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Team, the contest was open to public or private PK-12 schools, early childhood education facilities, and alternative learning environments.

The 2024 category winners are as follows: The Nest by Scissortail in Lawton for Best Startup Garden; Lincoln Alternative Academy in Stillwater for Best Community Collaboration School Garden; Unity Learning Academy in Tulsa for Best Harvest School Garden; Monroe Elementary School in Enid for Best Education-Based Garden; and Redbud Farm School in Oklahoma City for Best Pollinator School Garden.

“School gardens are living laboratories that create invaluable teaching opportunities for nutrition, agriculture, and experiential education across all disciplines,” said Alex Cox, Oklahoma Farm to School Coordinator. “Through gardening, children learn the origins of their food and cultivate healthy eating habits.”

Lincoln Alternative Academy is initiating a school garden with support from stakeholders including Oklahoma State University and Our Daily Bread Food and Resource Center. The faculty received a check from the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Team on September 4.

“Our garden and greenhouse will grow vegetables and flowers to help our students understand the process of where our food comes from,” stated principal George Horton. “As a part of this award, our students will also tour local gardens and farms to see how agriculture education connects to our community. We are excited about the learning opportunities for our Lincoln students and appreciate the support from our agriculture community.”

Other category winners will receive their awards at a later date. Applications for next year's contest will open on April 15, 2025. For further information about the contest, contact Alex Cox at alex.cox@ag.ok.gov.