The purpose of these guidelines is to provide information that will promote health and safety for staff and students when handling school gardens where vegetables are grown to the point of consumption. School gardens, including the consumption of vegetables grown in the gardens is allowed, subject to the following conditions:
1. The garden is a school project under the supervision and control of the building principal.
2. The garden is directly related to instruction. The teacher/principal will need to get approval from the building Executive Director.
3. To avoid buried utilities, etc. the location of the garden must be approved by the Buildings & Grounds Manager.
4. The maintenance and upkeep of the garden is a school responsibility, not the responsibility of custodial or maintenance personnel.
5. You are responsible for the implementation of appropriate risk management practices, including but not necessarily limited to:
a. Fence the garden to prevent unauthorized access and to help minimize attracting rodents, birds, and other animals
b. Use only non-toxic/organic amendments, if any at all
c. Do not ever use fresh manure in the garden
d. Raised beds are recommended as you do not know the composition of the natural soil
e. Do not use treated wood in the construction of the raised beds as it might contain unhealthy/toxic chemicals
f. Destroy diseased plant materials, and clean up plant debris at the season’s end
g. Use only potable water for direct irrigation (if you are considering using rain barrel water check the upstream collection source carefully and apply this water to the soil rather then directly to the vegetables in order to prevent contact of potentially contaminated water with vegetables)
h. Wash hands thoroughly before and after gardening
i. Wash the soil from vegetables before serving them. Special care must be taken with lettuce as soil can be trapped in the leaf folds. Soaking vegetables in cool water and rinsing thoroughly until the water runs clear is also a good practice. Non-toxic vegetable cleaning products are available to help free soil residues from vegetables. These products work well with leafy vegetables. Vinegar can also be used for cleaning produce
j. Others as deemed appropriate