Are you and your garden committee in need of some support and mentorship? In this episode Mary Jo talks with Laura Thomas and Peggy Word from The Eden Project UT. Listen along as they discuss their organization and share details about their nationwide school garden coaching program, SproUTing Teachers.

With two pathways to choose from—Individual Teaching Coaching or Group Garden Leadership Coaching to support your whole committee—this mentorship course is designed to set you and your garden program up for long-term success and sustainability.

Applications for the 2026–2027 school year are open now through May 1st, 2026.

Eden Project UT Website:

https://www.edenut.org⁠

More Information about the Coaching Programs:

https://www.edenut.org/programs

Application Link:
SproUTing Teachers

Small crop, big impact! Join Anne and Mary Jo as they dig into the when, how, and why of growing microgreens—and why this lightning-fast crop deserves a big place in every school garden program.

Along the way, Mary Jo makes a GSA, Anne contemplates the fine art of flushing, and we explore how this tiny crop can inspire macro-sized entrepreneurial ideas for older students.

Because when it comes to microgreens, a little really does grow a lot.

Podcast Outline:

00:40 - Episode Intro

01:40: How Was Your Week - Embrace the Scruffy!

06:33 - Microgreens Introduction

08:31 - What to Grow and Why Grow Them

- Quick Growers - Radish, Broccoli, Mustard, Kale, Cabbage (green and red), Arugula and Turnip (0 - 2 weeks)

- Longer Growers - Sunflowers, Peashoots, Basil, Carrot, Beet, Chard, Cilantro, Fennel, Dill, Parsley (2 - 4 weeks)

11:09 - Amaranth

Red Garnet Amaranth - True Leaf Market. Link here

16:11 - How to Grow Microgreens

21:41 - When Are They Ready and Harvesting

22:45 - Classroom Activities with Microgreens

28:10 - Making a Business or Fundraiser from Microgreens - ideal for older students

36:10 - Outro and Thanks for Listening - Keep Flushing!

Educator Bonus Episode

Looking for a grant to support your school garden efforts?

Then, look no further than the Whole Foods Market Foundation's Garden Grant program. Listen in as Mary Jo talks with Ashley Ellis, the Edible Education Program Lead on the Improving Children Nutrition Pillar of Whole Foods Market Foundation.

Listen quickly and act quickly! The deadline for this grant round has been extended to March 15, 2026.

Learn more and apply here: https://www.wholefoodsmarketfoundation.org/our-work/childrens-nutrition/garden-grant

Time to peel away the layers and re-know your onions!

Join Anne and Mary Jo again as they talk through all things onions and why your students will be crying if you don’t plant this awesome vegetable in your school garden this season.
Podcast outline:

2:50 - Why grow onions?

3:33 - What part of the onion do we eat?

4:24 - Onion Family

4:43 - Planting onions

5:30 - How do onions grow

6:40 - Where to buy onion slips and sets

7:28 - How to plant onions and connections to the classroom

9:00 - Book Connection - ⁠Tops and Bottoms by Janet Stevens ⁠

10:23 - Caring for your onions as they grow

11:10 - Watering

12:46- Signs of growth

13:15 - Bolting, going to seed or putting up a flower

15:40 - Harvesting

19:46 - Funny story

22:11 - Kid question: Why do onions make you cry?

Recommendations: Our favorite and recommended feed store in North Texas is Russell Feed and Supply. Find your local store ⁠here⁠.

Stay in Touch!

⁠www.madegreene.com⁠

Email us: podcast@madegreene.com

Find us on Instagram and Facebook at MadeGreene

Another helping of potatoes, anyone? We’re digging back into The Potato Episode! Yep, it’s that time of year again—so get ready to plan and plant this student favorite. Your school gardens are about to get spud-tacular!

Chapters:

Encore Episode Introduction - 0:50

Why Should We Grow Potatoes in Schools? - 3:14

Connections to Curriculum - 4:38

Potatoes are a Hungry Crop - 6:52

DIfferent Varieties of Potatoes - 7:52

True Potato Seed or Seed Potatoes - 9:42

Buying the Right Kind of Seed Potato - 11:00

Chitting or Sprouting Seed Potatoes - 11:51

Cutting Seed Potatoes - 14:43

Where to Plant Potatoes - 16:24

Hilling, Banking or Earthing Up Potato Plants - 18:12

Harvesting Potatoes: 20:32

Finding the Mother Tuber - 24:24

Top Tips for Growing Success -25:15

Have a Potato Party! - 27:02

Growing Potatoes with a Class of Kids - 29:00

Caution and Safety Notes: 29:43

Kid Question: What is the difference between Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes: 31:17

Ending

Mentioned Books or Materials

The Enormous Potato - Aubrey Davies purchase ⁠here⁠

Recommended Fabric Growbags purchase ⁠here⁠

Stay in touch with us!

Email us: podcast@madegreene.com

Find us on Instagram and Facebook at MadeGreene

www.madegreene.com

Pesto grilled cheese, anyone?
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Chef Vahista Ussery joins today’s conversation to share her passion for all things food in the world of children’s nutrition education. Grab a plate and a napkin as we dig into the Shovels and Whisks After School Cooking and Gardening Club, which she runs alongside our very own Anne Santana! Bon Appetit!

00:42 - Intro and Vahista’s Journey

Take a look at Vahista’s work at

To Taste:To Taste on Insta

To Taste on Facebook

To Taste on the Web

To Taste on YouTube

05:49 - The Origin Story of Shovels and Whisks After School Cooking and Garden Club

09:57 - How to Organize a Cooking Club

11:08 - The Cooking Sessions at Shovels and Whisks After School Club

17:44 - State of Child Nutrition

22:09 - Navigating the Healthy Eating Conversation

27:36 - Favorite Recipes

31:49 - Tips and Tricks

Grants Opportunities - Sprouts Healthy Community Foundation - School Gardens

Links to recipes mentioned in the episode here

Stay in touch with us!

Email us: podcast@madegreene.com

Find us on Instagram and Facebook at MadeGreene

www.madegreene.com

Join Mary Jo and Anne as they explore the most popular reason students grow in school gardens—to taste! Listen along as they share tried-and-true strategies, practical techniques, and favorite recipes for trying produce in the school garden space. Perfect for empowering even the most cautious educators to host tasting sessions all year long.

Podcast Outline:

00:41 - 'Tis The Season for Tasting

01:07 - How was your week? Mary Jo has been thinning and tasting and Anne has been working on her indoor hydroponic garden

03:40 - Episode Intro: Tis' The Season for Tasting

07:38 - Benefits of Tasting in the School Garden.

10:22 - Tx Sprouts School Garden Program - Health Data Outcomes. Research Link here.

11:38 - Safety First

13:24 - Preparation Next

14:55 - Cleaning Produce

17:32 - Easy Tasting Ideas. Link to info about Sunbutter here.

26:24 - Recording Taste Testings

30:39 - Encouragement, Praise and Experimentation

33:56 - Involving other District Departments and Local Organisations

38:09 - School Garden to Cafeteria and Food Pantries

39:33 - Resources - see links below

40:38 - Outro

We love Life Lab. Check out their resources here.

We love The Edible School Yard Project. Check out their resources here.

Resources from North Texas School Garden Network (NTxSGN) here.

Stay in touch with us!

Email us: podcast@madegreene.com

Find us on Instagram and Facebook at MadeGreene

www.madegreene.com

We love children's literature—and we know you do too! That’s why we couldn’t imagine a better first-ever podcast guest than Mary Frances Baker, author and illustrator of The Garden Friend. Join Mary Jo and Anne as they chat with Mary Frances and discover how your students can create their own garden friends and imagine new adventures in your school garden space.

00:42: Intro

O1:24: We are guests on The Farm to School Podcast! Listen to the episode: When The School Garden Podcast meets The Farm to School Podcast episode. The Farm to School Podcast website.

02:37: The School Garden Podcast’s first guest! Mary Frances Baker and her book, The Garden Friend.

05:10: Texas Children in Nature Network

08:11: The Garden Friend bookThe Garden Friend WebsiteThe Garden Friend Instagram Page @the_gardenfriendThe Garden Friend - Teachers Pay Teachers

13:44: The Welman Project

13:50: Pegasus Creative Reuse (Pegasus Reuse)

24:20: The Garden Friend Activity and Song (YouTube)

25:45: Folklore Grove Bookstore, Arlington, Texas

28:01: Outro

Stay in touch with us!

Email us: podcast@madegreene.com

Find us on Instagram and Facebook at MadeGreene

www.madegreene.com