Gardens program
FOOD For Lane County’s two gardens — the GrassRoots Garden and the Youth Farm — grow fresh nutritious food for distribution through the FFLC network of partner agencies while providing opportunities for youth and adults to grow, learn and contribute to their community. More than 2,000 children and youth visit the gardens each year, and youth and adults gain skills in gardening, nutrition, and community building.
Upcoming FFLC Gardens Events:
Seed to Supper & Gardening Workshops:
- Attend a Seed to Supper Class Series
Seed to Supper™ is a free beginning vegetable gardening course that teaches participants how to garden on a budget. In this interactive class, participants gain new knowledge and skills to start a garden and grow some of their own food. Trained and experienced volunteer educators teach the class primarily indoors with visits to onsite gardens when available. Students who complete the course have access to a course booklet, seeds, organic compost and fertilizers and other goodies.
Course topics:
- Garden site and soil development
- Garden planning
- Planting a garden
- Caring for a growing garden
- Harvesting and using garden bounty
- Volunteer
We coordinate meaningful tasks appropriate for all ages and abilities. Visit our volunteer page for contact information and hours.
- Be a Seed to Supper Volunteer
Seed to Supper is a comprehensive, six-week beginning gardening course that gives novice, adult gardeners the tools they need to successfully grow a portion of their own food on a limited budget. Seed to Supper Garden Educator volunteers teach classes at community host sites. FOOD For Lane County offers Seed to Supper in partnership with Oregon Food Bank.- Please fill out an application and then email us here.
- Attend a workshop
Contact us for the latest schedule for workshops on beginning and advanced gardening skills.
- Visit the gardens
Schedule a field trip and service learning opportunity for your school, organization or business.
The GrassRoots Garden
Drop-in volunteer hours for adults 18 and over: See hours and opportunities here.
The GrassRoots Garden is a 2.5-acre garden that includes a City of Eugene compost demonstration site and a full outdoor kitchen. FFLC staff maintain the GrassRoots Garden with help from thousands of children, youth and adult volunteers. Staff and OSU Lane County Extension Master Gardeners teach workshops and lead educational activities in the garden.
Where: 1465 Coburg Road, Eugene, OR 97401 (Behind St. Thomas Episcopal Church)
Volunteer hours
The Youth Farm
All volunteers 16 years and older and up are welcome to help at the Youth Farm!
Volunteers are able to drop in during certain times in the week. Find out when we’re open here!
Even though the duration says 7 hours, you do not need to arrive at 9 a.m. or stay until 4 or 5 p.m.
Whether you have a couple of hours or all day to volunteer, anytime you have to give is very much appreciated.
Planting, harvesting, weeding – there is so much we could use your help with.
Check in with Dan or Ted when you arrive!
The Youth Farm is a 5-acre urban educational farm and a work experience site for youth. Each year, community volunteers assist staff in growing over 100,000 pounds of organic produce, learning while growing. Each summer, a crew of teens works at the farm where they receive job skills and training in gardening, leadership, financial management and nutrition while growing food for FFLC and for a 100+ member Community Supported Agriculture Program and produce stand.
Where: 705 Flamingo Ave., Springfield, OR 97477
- Volunteer hours
- Try our veggies
Purchase our produce through our Community Supported Agriculture programAvailable now … the 2023 CSA!
Sign up here!
Want to become a Community Supported Agriculture member?
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) establishes a direct link between food consumers and food growers. FFLC’s Youth Farm currently offers CSA memberships. Find out more about the program here.
- Check out our farm stand
- Purchase Youth Farm produce at our online farm stand for pickup at the Youth Farm: Pick up Saturdays June through October, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at our Youth Farm, 705 Flamingo Ave. in Springfield.
Trillium Veggie RX in Association with the FFLC Youth Farm
Trillium Veggie Rx provides access to free fresh fruits and vegetables to patients as a way to help with a variety of health conditions, or if they screen positive for food insecurity using the Screen & Intervene screening tool. The patient takes the vegetable prescription/voucher to the FFLC Youth Farm stand, or gets a subsidized weekly box of vegetables.