Welcome to 20 years!

The Kitchen Garden Program started out in a single school back in 2001 at Collingwood College. A committed team joined Stephanie Alexander to set up the program which then became a template of sorts for schools and services across the country. No kitchen garden is the same, but what lies at the heart – always – is children: their enthusiasm, and the communities that gather around them.

Learn our story

Find out more about some of the people involved with setting up the Kitchen Garden Program, and those who continue to steward it today.

 I marvel at the way the Kitchen Garden Program has grown and grown. It’s all about community: initially a small band of friends and acquaintances came together with a vision to create a program that really delivered change. The success of the initial program led to its rapid growth and it has now become a renowned nation-wide program reaching children and young people at all stages of education. – Stephanie Alexander AO

• Stephanie Alexander AO, Founder; Amanda Coombs, Chair; and Josephene Duffy, CEO reflect on the past and look ahead: Growing into the future
• Frances Laurino was principal at Collingwood College in 2001, when the program was launched: Students and food at the heart of it all
• Mary-Ann De Carlo was part of the original Kitchen Garden Program working committee: Growing the Kitchen Garden Program
• Desley Insall is Collingwood College’s current kitchen garden specialist: A day in the life of a kitchen garden specialist
  
• Patron Janet Whiting talks about why she commits her time: Supporting the Foundation
  
• Peter Arnott discusses his 18 years as a Kitchen Garden Program volunteer: Peter's volunteer journey.

Watch our 20th anniversary video

The Kitchen Garden Program has grown into a strong and vibrant community, boasting some 1600 schools and early childhood services across Australia all growing, harvesting, preparing and sharing fresh, seasonal, delicious food. Hear some of their voices in our celebration video.

Learning to live a good food life is the one of the most accessible ways anybody, child or adult, can bring joy to their life. – Stephanie Alexander AO

Get involved

If you want to play and cook along, here are a couple of our favourite activities and recipes. For members, there’s loads more to do – read on below for 20 for 20!

Cook

• Broad beans were on the very first kitchen class menu at Collingwood College. Celebrate the spring broad bean harvest by making Broad Bean Dip
• Make a pesto using excess veggie tops from carrots, radishes, beetroots, or soft greens. Check out our Parsley Pesto recipe as a guide and have some fun!

Grow

• Make seedling newspaper pots
• Create edible-flower ice cubes.

Do

• Make sure you are following the Foundation on social media @sakgf
• Donate to continue our good work.

20 for 20

To celebrate 20 years of the Kitchen Garden Program, we have 20 activities for Kitchen Garden members to cook, grow, do, and win.

Cook

• Start by cooking one of Stephanie's exclusive, members' only recipes:
  • Silverbeet & Potato Torte with Olive Oil Pastry
  • Carrot Muffins
• Follow them up with a spring-inspired Salad of the Imagination
• Broad Bean Bruschetta or Broad Bean Dip
• Utilise one of the most abundant kitchen garden crops with our silverbeet recipe collection.

Grow

• Plant something from seed in a newspaper pot
• Map your kitchen garden to create a display showcasing all the different plants and features of your garden to share with your community
• Put together vibrant spring herb and flower posies to give to educators at your school or service to celebrate Kitchen Garden Week.  

Do

• Watch our 20th anniversary celebration video
• Follow along with our team videos to:
  • cook Spanakopita with Sam
  • propagate Rosemary with Steph
  • build a Mini-Greenhouse with Jess
• Subscribe to our public newsletter for gardening updates, events, and delicious monthly recipes
• Post about your school or service’s program on your social media, using the hashtag #KitchenGardenWeek2021
• Post this week’s kitchen or garden activity on the Shared Table
• Follow the Foundation on social media 
• Include your kitchen garden program in your school or service’s newsletter
• Read one of our 20th anniversary stories to learn how it all began (links above)
• Send Stephanie and the Foundation a letter from you or your class explaining what you like the most about your Kitchen Garden Program
• Have children list or illustrate 20 veggies, kitchen, or garden tools
• Use the ‘Sharing from home’ resource on the Shared Table (and post your results) 
• Check out the posters collection on the Shared Table, where you’ll find ready references to seasonal planning, literacy, numeracy and science links, and more.

Win

• Create your own 20-year celebration video, and win a school visit from Stephanie Alexander.
  

Stephanie loves a kitchen garden visit and that’s what’s on offer for one lucky school or service with the best video about their kitchen garden. To celebrate 20 years of the Kitchen Garden Program we want to see the impact of your kitchen garden within the school and wider community – in a 30–90second video. Competition closes 5 November.