Youth Garden Project

Based in Moab, the Youth Garden Project's mission is to cultivate healthy children, families, and community through educational programs and connecting people with food from seed to table. Founded in 1996, YGP is celebrating its thirtieth anniversary of learning and growing this year!

YGP uses the garden as a cross-disciplinary learning tool that connects kids to the environment, to their local food system, and to each other. Each Grand County student in K-6 visits the garden at least once a year for field trips, and many return for spring break or summer camp, after school clubs, middle and high school workshops, or just to visit the public green space with friends or family. 

The food we grow on our 1.5-acre garden campus informs and inspires our educational practice while also nourishing our community. About 1/3 of YGP produce grown gets donated to partnering food bank services, and the rest is used for Community Supported Agriculture and our all-ages programming. YGP also operates two additional off-site community gardens, providing over 20 households with affordable land access to grow their own food.

In addition to youth programs, YGP offers community programming for all ages, including 'Weed 'n' Feed volunteer nights, farm-to-table dinners, an annual Plant Sale and Harvest Festival, seed swaps, and cooking and gardening workshops. We also welcome 350+ volunteers annually, and grow a free U-pick 'Nibble Garden' where locals and visitors alike can harvest fresh, nutritious produce at no cost. The garden is free and open to the public from dawn to dusk.