The Edible Lab: Growing Food Literacy & Community Connections
Details
Southern Alberta
The Idea
The Edible Lab will transform a portion of Stanley Jones School yard into a hands-on food literacy classroom and welcoming community gathering place. The project will bring together eight raised garden beds, 18 edible berry shrubs, and a long outdoor harvest table large enough to seat an entire class, which doubles as an outdoor classroom. Through the Edible Lab, students will grow food, understand where it comes from, and appreciate its value, helping reduce avoidable food waste. The space will also serve as a community backyard where people gather, celebrate, and connect around food.
Through planting, tending, harvesting, and seed saving, students will gain firsthand experience of food production and the care it requires. The garden beds will be complemented by 18 Haskap and early-maturing Saskatoon berry shrubs, creating opportunities to explore perennial food production and enjoy seasonal harvests. Teachers will be supported by the Learning Grounds Subcommittee and project supporter, the Calgary Horticultural Society, to integrate gardening into lessons on science, nutrition, and environmental stewardship.
Students will learn to harvest, enjoy, and share fresh produce, save seeds for future growing seasons, and prevent edible food from going to waste. Surplus harvests will be offered to families in need. Beyond the school day, the harvest table will host community potlucks, shared meals, celebrations, and gatherings without requiring a large home or the expense of renting a venue. During summer, when school is not in session, the berry shrubs will serve as a small urban u-pick for the neighbourhood, ensuring fruit is enjoyed rather than left unpicked.
With the requested $15,000, we will establish the eight raised garden beds and a large, durable outdoor harvest table, along with materials for food education and community use. Funding for the 18 berry shrubs has been secured separately. The Edible Lab will make waste reduction tangible while creating a lasting resource where people can grow, share, harvest, and enjoy food together.
Who Will Benefit?
The Edible Lab will benefit students, school staff, families, and the wider Renfrew neighbourhood by creating a shared space for food education, sustainable growing, and community connection.
Students will be the primary beneficiaries. Through planting, tending, harvesting, and seed saving, they will develop practical food literacy skills and learn about nutrition, seasonal food production, and environmental stewardship. The garden will support hands-on learning in science, health, and sustainability while building confidence, responsibility, and an appreciation for food. Students will also learn to reduce waste by making use of surplus harvests.
Teachers and school staff will gain an outdoor learning space that supports curriculum-connected activities. With support from the Learning Grounds Subcommittee and the Calgary Horticultural Society, the Edible Lab will make gardening and food education accessible throughout the school year.
Community members will gain a welcoming gathering place for shared meals, potlucks, celebrations, and neighbourhood events, particularly for those without suitable space at home or the resources to rent a venue. During summer, the berry shrubs will act as a small urban u-pick, inviting neighbours to pick fresh fruit and enjoy the harvest.
Families experiencing food insecurity may benefit from surplus fruits and vegetables shared with those in need. This will improve access to fresh produce while preventing edible food from going to waste.