The Outdoor Classroom
School gardens are a wonderful outdoor classroom that can help students learn.

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!
Gardens thrive when gardeners connect. Join Anne and Mary Jo as they dig into the importance of finding your people—the fellow garden folks who build community, share ideas and best practices, and remind us that being the garden person on campus doesn't have to mean going it alone.
Plus, we chat with Daniel Barrera Ortega, Programs Coordinator at the School Garden Support Organization Network (SGSO)—the mother of all school garden networking organizations—as we agree that sometimes the best thing you can grow in a garden is your community.
Meanwhile, Anne gets a head start on her August seeds, while Mary Jo puts this week's episode into practice by reconnecting with all her garden programs and locking in the year ahead.
Podcast Outline:
00:11 – Welcome
00:41 – Intro – Community and Finding Your People
01:24 – How Has Your Week Been? Anne and Mary Jo share
05:00 – Mary Jo and Anne’s Friendship Origin Story
08:28 – Why Should We Seek Out Community?
12:30 – Breaking the Barriers
14:13 – Look Locally and Nationally and on a Personal and Organizational Level
23:21 – Interview with Daniel Barrera Ortega, Program Coordinator at SGSO (School Garden Support Organization)
SGSO Contacts:
Website: https://sgsonetwork.org/
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/sgsonetwork/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sgso-network/
46:42 – Get in Touch – podcast@madegreene.com
47:34 – Outro
Links to Mentioned Organizations:
Texas Organizations:
Tarrant Area Food Policy Council
NTxSGN (North Texas School Garden Network)
Texas Children in Nature Network
Tarrant Area Food Bank – Community Gardening
Listen to Mary Jo’s Webinar from SGSO where she talks about Wellness Partnerships in School Gardens.
National Organizations:
Working Food, Gainesville, FL
Nathan Larson, Wisconsin School Gardens
American Horticultural Society – Youth Gardening
Stay in touch with us!
Email us: podcast@madegreene.com
Find us on Instagram and Facebook at MadeGreene
www.madegreene.com

Our mission is to empower students and teachers alike to discover the joy, skills, and benefits of gardening in a school setting. By creating engaging outdoor learning spaces, we provide hands-on experiences that help school communities build a deeper connection with nature and nutrition. By unlocking gardening’s educational and well-being benefits, we help students build teamwork, responsibility, and sustainable practices. By integrating gardening into a student’s educational journey, we will nurture lifelong skills, a sense of community, and a greener future for generations to come.
School gardens are a wonderful outdoor classroom that can help students learn.
School gardens provide a unique opportunity for students to learn.
School gardens provide a learning experience that can help students.

Barbara Brown, 5th-grade teacher



