I learn again and again how alive and responsive to nature children are. ... It is such a pleasure to share the basic joy of knowing where one's food comes from. You can grow it, pick it, eat it. It's that simple.
—Sukey Parmelee, Educational Outreach Coordinator, Green Gulch
Since its establishment in 1972, Green Gulch Farm has been on the leading edge of organic farming and land stewardship. The community and San Francisco Zen Center as a whole are dedicated to cultivating future stewards of the earth.
The Environmental Education program brings over 900 children from 34 Bay Area schools and organizations to the farm each year. Kids who come might uncover the secrets of compost, make a lettuce burrito, visit a beehive, or see how an apple blossom turns into fruit. Some come from urban underserved schools, and for many it's their first experience of being out in a natural environment. As one Green Gulch tour leader put it, “The children have such a deep hunger to be here. It is a real event in their lives.” More and more schools also are requesting that the zendo be included in their visit and are recognizing the power of helping children find the still, quiet place within themselves.
- Docent Training Program – Volunteer with Kids in the Green Gulch Garden and Farm: Come join the team of environmental educators and learn to guide small groups of school children through the garden and farm at Green Gulch. Description/information.