The Big Garden

At The Big Garden, we grow healthy food, healthy kids, and healthy communities. We do that by building gardens; teaching people of all ages to grow, cook, and preserve their own food; and providing education to address the systemic nature of food security in our communities. The Big Garden began in 2005, funded by the USDA's Community Food Project. We have worked with schools, faith communities, and other nonprofits to develop more than 190 food gardens across metro-Omaha, greater Nebraska, greater Kansas, and Southwest Iowa. We currently provide garden education in collaboration with nearly 50 lower-income schools, childcare centers, and nonprofit organizations in metro-Omaha, including several schools in OPS. We also offer free hands-on food & gardening workshops for adults. Our programs operate at the intersection of food security & sovereignty, climate change, and community building, with the overall goal of strengthening local food systems.