The School Garden Podcast

Made Greene
  • 5.0 (17)
  • EDUCATION
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Join Mary Jo and Anne as we talk about all things school gardens and growing with kids. No matter where you are in your school garden journey, whether you are an experienced garden teacher, a novice parent helper, or a struggling home educator, we are here to help you and your kiddos in your garden space. The School Garden Podcast has everything you’ll need -from seasonal planting guides, to curriculum ideas and activities, from garden how-tos to expert advice with a generous sowing of stories and garden chat along the way. Come and dig in with us because school gardens matter!

  1. Season 2, Ep. 14: The Sweetpotato Episode

    MAY 5

    Season 2, Ep. 14: The Sweetpotato Episode

    Yes, you read that right - Sweetpotato all one word - it’s official! Join Anne and Mary Jo as they slip into everything you need to know about making sweetpotatoes a staple in your school garden this summer.  From spellbinding Latin taxonomy to a classic classroom Venn diagram - this episode has it all. Plus, Mary Jo may be packing her bags for North Carolina and discover just how far Anne will go in pursuit of the perfect sweetpotato cure. It’s science and storytelling with a huge helping of classroom-to-garden goodness. Podcast Outline: 00:20 - Intro 00:42 - Welcome to the Sweetpotato Episode  1:06 -  How was your week? Counting in 2s with Basil  05:23 - Intro and History of The Sweetpotato Plant 08:13 - Growing in Colder Climates 09:05 - The North Carolina Sweetpotato Commission - Website and Resources https://ncsweetpotatoes.com/curriculum/ Sweetpotato is one word! Sign the Petition here 14:45 - The Differences of Irish and Sweetpotato - Venn Diagram Style! 20:02 - Starting Sweetpotatoes by Slips  25:05 - Breaking off / Harvesting Sweetpotato Slips  26:08 - Ornamental and Non-Ornamental Sweetpotato Vines 28:52 - How to Plant Sweetpotato Slips  31:05 - Caring for Sweetpotato Plants 34:10 - Harvesting Sweetpotatoes 38:48 - Curing Sweetpotatoes and Storage 43:11 - Eating and Tasting 44:56 - The North Carolina SweetPotato Commission Jingle! 47:19 Outro Stay in touch with us! Email us: podcast@madegreene.com Find us on Instagram and Facebook at MadeGreene www.madegreene.com

    48 min
  2. Season 2: Ep 13. Teatime in the Garden

    APR 17

    Season 2: Ep 13. Teatime in the Garden

    Pop the kettle on and join Anne and Mary Jo as they spill the tea! Listen alongside as we show you how to celebrate your garden in a cup. From herbal teas to fresh water infusions, refreshing aguas frescas, and smoothies—garden tastings don’t have to be just about eating… sipping with your students is just as sweet! Plus, Mary Jo creates a manifesto where every household owns a teapot and Anne ponders the notion of cold days.  Podcast Outline 00:41 - Intro 01:31 - How Has Your Week Been, Anne?  03:29 - Introduction to Teas in the Garden 05:50 - Reasons Why We Should Incorporate Tea into Your Garden Program 12:24 - The History of Tea 14:02 - The Origins of Tea: From Medicine to Daily Taste 16:45 - The Tea Plant: Camellia sinensis 21:17 - Using Fresh Herbs for Tea 25:44 - Using Tea Bags and Dried Herbs 32:12 - Equipment and Materials Needed  34:41 - Hot Water Considerations  35:40 - Other Considerations for Tea Making 36:54 - Kids Pallets and the Sweetness Situation 40:08 - Butterfly Pea Tea: Color and Science.    43:57 Can we eat it? Edible or Ornamental 45:48 - Water Infusions / Cold Teas 49:20 - Agua Frescas 51:00 - Smoothies Listen to the After School Cooking Club Episode 53:15 - Outro  Helpful Resources Butterfly Pea Plant Butterfly Pea Tea Herbal Tea Combinations and Drying Herbs. Agua Fresca recipes Garden Smoothies For more tasting and smoothie ideas, listen to Season 2. Episode 9 - The After-School Cooking Clubs Episode

    54 min

  3. MAR 31

    School Garden Mentorship Opportunity

    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

    11 min

  4. MAR 11

    Season 2: Ep. 12 The Microgreens Episode — Micro yet mighty!

    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!

    38 min

  5. FEB 22

    Whole Foods Market Foundation Grant--Educators, Don't Miss This Funding Opportunity!

    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

    8 min

  6. FEB 8

    S 2: Ep 11: Onion you glad we are replaying this?

    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

    25 min

  7. JAN 27

    S 2: Ep 10: Another Helping of Potatoes, Anyone?

    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

    35 min

  8. JAN 17

    S2: Ep. 9 After-School Cooking Clubs: The Pesto Grilled Cheese Episode

    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

    39 min
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5
out of 5
17 Ratings

About

Join Mary Jo and Anne as we talk about all things school gardens and growing with kids. No matter where you are in your school garden journey, whether you are an experienced garden teacher, a novice parent helper, or a struggling home educator, we are here to help you and your kiddos in your garden space. The School Garden Podcast has everything you’ll need -from seasonal planting guides, to curriculum ideas and activities, from garden how-tos to expert advice with a generous sowing of stories and garden chat along the way. Come and dig in with us because school gardens matter!

Information

  • Creator
    Made Greene
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    30
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Made Greene
  • Show Website
    The School Garden Podcast

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