Resilient Gardens Expands Hands-On Food Gardening Education Across New York

Response

Cornell Cooperative Extension launched the Resilient Gardens Project to strengthen Seed to Supper programming through educator training, hands-on learning resources, and statewide networking opportunities. The project distributed 57 Hands-On Activity Kits to county programs, providing educators with materials and lesson guides on soil preparation, seed starting, pest management, composting, herb drying, container gardening, and watering techniques. Volunteer educators and coordinators expressed appreciation for the pre-made materials, which helped alleviate the burden on volunteers to develop and collect the materials from scratch.

Cornell Garden-Based Learning also hosted 10 regional train-the-trainer workshops in partnership with local Cornell Cooperative Extension offices that prepared 150 garden educators across three years to incorporate experiential activities into local classes. Educators were able to practice in a supportive environment how to deliver culturally relevant, hands-on programming which gave them confidence and a desire to use those methods when teaching their Seed to Supper classes. In addition, the 2025 Resilient Gardens Conference in Geneva brought together 100 participants representing 23 counties for workshops, demonstrations, and site visits designed to strengthen practical gardening skills and expand professional networks. In 2024, the New York City Resilient Gardens conference reached 62 people across all five boroughs and 11 counties for urban gardening tours and workshops. To broaden outreach, 37 counties implemented an Ecological Gardening Social Media Campaign that shared seasonal gardening practices and research-based information with local audiences. Furthermore, 6 videos were created demonstrating the most popular hands-on activities to help train future Seed to Supper volunteers.

Results

Since the project began, the number of Seed to Supper participants growing their own food increased from 862 to more than 2,021, a 134% increase. Three months after completing the program, 92% of participants reported growing a portion of their own food, while 82% reported increasing their fruit and vegetable consumption. Participants also reported stronger social connections, with 97% indicating they felt more connected to others in their community. Conference evaluations showed that 89% of attendees improved their understanding of how to share resources across gardens and community programs.

Public Value

By strengthening hands-on gardening education and volunteer preparation, Seed to Supper helps New York residents increase household food production, improve access to fresh foods, and build stronger community networks. The Resilient Gardens Project helped to tap the expertise of local volunteers and Cooperative Extension offices by providing hands-on activity kits and guides tailored to the needs of program participants, with the end result being increased participation and connection of the community to accessible, affordable healthy food and a stronger relationship with Cornell Cooperative Extension.