Connecting Communities

WHO WE ARE

At the Growing Food Growing Health and Growing Food Growing Hope gardens in Lawrence, Kansas, we teach students how to grow food while taking care of the Earth, to work as members of a team, and to facilitate community healing and engagement among those who are recovering from addiction and those who are food insecure.

Get to know our gardeners and our work in the community.

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Garden wrap up continues. This weekend Felix and Elinor cleaned up the zucchetta tunnel and composted all the vines which will eventually become soil to nourish next year’s garden.

Still no freeze. We’re balancing clean up with harvesting. And also marveling at this renegade zucchetta. On Tuesday one of our Free Market customers came and harvested over 15 lbs. of mustard greens to freeze for her family’s Thanksgivin

It was our 22nd and final Free Market of the season yesterday. And what a fun and festive time we had. So much beautiful produce to fill bags, a great crew of Student Gardeners working, live music thanks to Joe and Gregor, and a lot of gratitude and

Sponsor a pumpkin! Once again we bring jack o lantern pumpkins to our customers at the Free Market - this year, the most beautiful ones from the good people at South Baldwin Farms. You can support this effort by sponsoring a pumpkin through the link

It’s going to be a beautiful market tomorrow. Number 21 of the season. Stop by between 4 and 6pm for a huge selection of greens. And a warm smile from Rory.

Beautiful evening at the Growing Food Growing Health garden, participating in a Safe Routes to School Lantern Walk. Ghosts made out of used row cover, lights in the loofa tunnel, mini pumpkins for visitors. Fun!

It’s a green and orange Free Market this afternoon - our 19th of the season! Just two more left after today. Stop by Edgewood Homes today, between 4 and 6pm. We’ll have pumpkins from our friends at South Baldwin Farm, and lots of gorgeous

Thank you Kevin for an inspiring visit to Mellowfields Farm today. It’s so important to understand where our food comes from and see the dedication and hard work that it takes to put food on our plates. What a rich experience for our student ga

Thank you to our Partners

We are grateful to our community partners for their support. Thank you to:

The Merc Co+op
Silver Lake Bank
Farm to Market Bread
Edie Insurance
Mellowfields Farm
DCCCA Lawrence
Lawrence Douglas County Housing Authority
USD 497 Lawrence Public Schools
Douglas County Community Foundation

Thank you for your support

We accomplish this work with the help of our talented Student Gardeners, dedicated staff, and our extended community. Thank you for your support.

Donate today

WHAT WE DO

Growing food growing health

Community Mercantile Education Foundation

OUR MISSION

The mission of Growing Food Growing Health is to nourish and inspire personal well-being, strengthen community connections, and support sustainable, local food systems.

We fulfill our mission by creating beautiful and productive gardens, developing youth leaders, and using food as a transformative path to health.

WHERE WE WORK