Schools · Churches · Communities · Tampa to Naples

School food forests & outdoor classrooms in Florida

We design and install pesticide-free food forests, sensory gardens and edible landscapes for schools, churches and community spaces: living classrooms that grow fruit year round, from Tampa Bay to Naples and Okeechobee.

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Watch: This Naples school planted a food forest. Every school in Florida should do this · More on our YouTube channel

Our school projects

Schools we've planted with

Seacrest Country Day School · Naples

A food forest and edible landscape around the school's raised beds, between the café and the athletic fields, plus a taste, touch and smell garden for the elementary grades. Built for abundance, hands-on classes and fresh snacks for student athletes, as a pesticide-free and herbicide-free zone. Read the full Seacrest story.

Prosper Noggin · Okeechobee

The students designed it: they found the site, drew up the plans and chose the final design. Then they planted it in one rainy day with their families, the sheriff's office, the fire department and local businesses. Read the Prosper Noggin story.

Students, families, first responders and volunteers together after planting a school food forest in Okeechobee — A school planting day: students help put the trees in the ground.

Pesticide-free grounds

What's sprayed where your kids play?

Florida athletic fields and school grounds are often treated with pesticides, herbicides and turf chemicals. Students run, fall and sit on that grass every day. A food forest flips that: a pesticide-free and herbicide-free zone where kids can pick and taste what grows.

Watch: What's sprayed on your kid's soccer field? Pesticides on Florida sports fields · More on our YouTube channel

Questions parents and staff can ask: what products are sprayed and how often, how long before kids play on it, whether signs are posted, and whether the school would consider pesticide-free zones near play and learning areas.

What we build

A living classroom, not just a garden

School food forests: fruit trees, shrubs, herbs and greens in layers that produce year round.
Taste, touch and smell gardens: sensory beds for younger students to explore with their hands and noses.
Edible landscapes around raised beds: perennial planting that keeps producing when annual beds sit empty over summer.
Pesticide-free zones near cafés, fields and play areas.
Planting days that bring students, families and volunteers together.
Stewardship plans and teacher support so the space keeps thriving after the build.

Why perennial

Why we prefer food forests over raised beds alone

Raised beds need replanting every season, and in Florida's summer heat most school beds sit empty right when students return. A perennial food forest keeps producing year round with far less work, gets better every year as the trees mature, and doesn't fall apart when a volunteer or teacher moves on. Many schools keep their raised beds and wrap them in a food forest, as Seacrest did.

Churches & communities

For churches, parks and neighborhoods

The same approach works anywhere people gather: church grounds, community gardens, parks and HOA common areas. Fruit trees put fresh food within walking distance and give neighbors a reason to meet. Companies can sponsor a school or community food forest and plant it with their team. See community and corporate partnerships.

FAQ

Common questions

How much does a school food forest cost?

It depends on the size of the area and what the school wants to include. Start with a free Discovery Call and we'll give you a realistic range; companies can also sponsor a school food forest.

Is a school food forest safe for students?

We plan school landscapes as pesticide-free and herbicide-free zones and choose child-safe edible plants, so students can taste and harvest directly.

Who maintains a school food forest?

We set up a simple stewardship plan for staff, students and volunteers, and offer ongoing stewardship visits. Perennial plantings need far less work than annual raised beds.

Which areas do you serve?

Schools, churches and communities from Tampa Bay to Naples, including Sarasota, Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch, Venice, Fort Myers and Okeechobee.

What could your school yard grow?

Fifteen minutes, free, and you'll know your next step.

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