Many Oregonians face barriers to accessing affordable, healthy food. In Sherman County, Extension has offered spring gardening classes for over a decade. In 2023, educator Cindy Brown received approval to implement Seed to Supper — a statewide, evidence-informed gardening program — as part of the county’s SNAP-Ed outreach. The course is designed for beginning gardeners, older adults and people with limited income.
Seed to Supper empowers residents with the knowledge and confidence to grow their own food, helping them save money, improve nutrition and increase food self-sufficiency.
In Umatilla County, agriculture dominates the landscape, but fewer than 10% of farms sell directly to consumers. While the county’s food insecurity rate is 11.4%, it rises to 21.4% for children under 18. Teaching people how to grow their own food is one way to support long-term food access and reduce household costs.
Seed to Supper is a free, six-week course co-developed by Oregon Food Bank and Oregon State University Extension Service. It teaches adults how to grow food on a limited budget. OSU Extension offered the program in Sherman and Umatilla counties in spring 2023.
In Sherman County, two courses were offered through the Sherman County Senior Center. Classes in Rufus drew 19 participants from nearby communities and averaged high attendance. A smaller group in Moro completed the second course. Participants received free course books, cool-season seeds, access to warm-season seeds, a graduation certificate and gardening supplies.
In Umatilla County, Seed to Supper was delivered in Hermiston, Pendleton and at the Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center. Master Gardener volunteers, Extension staff and retired faculty taught the courses. Community partners helped with planning, advertising and logistics.
Umatilla County Health supported the Pendleton class with transportation, refreshments and communication. The Hermiston Community Garden provided a venue, funding and recruitment assistance. Classes were interactive, and in Hermiston, participants created a visible list of questions to track learning goals.
Each participant received a book in English or Spanish, along with gloves, seed packets, soil thermometers and other supplies.
In Sherman County, participants said they enrolled to improve their gardening skills, grow food for their families, reduce food costs and connect with their community. Many were new to gardening. All survey respondents agreed the course helped them gain practical knowledge and that they would recommend it to others.
Participant comments included: “I learned new techniques for fertilizer and composting — and more importantly, about watering my garden,” and “I had no idea about the scope of this class.”
In Umatilla County, Hermiston capped registration at 54 and averaged 38 attendees per session. Pendleton had 29 registrants and averaged 19 per class. Surveys showed participants felt more confident in their ability to grow food, more motivated to eat fruits and vegetables, and more connected to their community.
Most said they planned to share what they learned with others — suggesting a ripple effect in local food knowledge and access.
Seed to Supper empowers residents with the knowledge and confidence to grow their own food, helping them save money, improve nutrition and increase food self-sufficiency. Beyond gardening skills, the program strengthens community connections and provides a sense of accomplishment and resilience.
