L.I.F.E Garden Program
Sowing Seeds of Hope and Possibility
The L.I.F.E. (Lopez Island Farm Education) Garden Program helps K- 12 students build an appreciation for nature, nutrition, community, land stewardship, and the environment. Founded more than twenty years ago, L.I.F.E. has exceeded all expectations, maturing to become a fully integrated, inspiring model for schools nationwide.
The Lopez Island School LIFE Garden is seeking volunteers.
Individuals with all skill levels, time availability and interests are welcome. In fact, we’re sure we have a job for all!
Please join us! Fill out the Volunteer Form here (https://forms.gle/qT2HqQQ5UXhgjr4fA)
Elementary School Program
In the elementary school, our garden teacher uses experiential,
garden-based curriculum to teach literacy, social studies, math, and science. Kids regularly head outdoors to plant, hoe, dig, water and weed their vegetable beds, and collect the harvest. Back in the classroom, they prepare a fresh-from-the-garden snack on a mobile cooking cart. Learning the basics of good nutrition and healthy eating come naturally in this class.
Sustainable Agricultural Practices 
Students will learn the ins and outs of sustainable agriculture from seed to plate, in a context that includes not only hands-on, how-to practice but theory. We constantly ask Why? and How? as we discover the most ecologically sensitive, economically sound and ethically aligned methods for producing our food. The course covers a range of material including biological processes, soil tilth, animal husbandry, arboriculture, farm infrastructure, tractors, propagation, macroscopic and microscopic botany, seed saving and assorted other whatnot through use of current scientific studies, personal experiments, individual research assignments, classroom lecture, notes, time in our school garden, community workshops, labs and countless trips to visit experts in their field.
The Power of L.I.F.E.
From kindergarten through high school, students once accustomed to a regular diet of processed food are learning healthy choices and eating delicious, organic lunches from their own garden beds.
Lopez Island School's L.I.F.E. Garden Program is also showcased in The Center for Ecoliteracy's book Smart by Nature as one of twenty innovative K-12 programs across the country that prepares students for a sustainable future.