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PROJECT S.O.W. Curriculum is Now Available

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Project S.O.W. (Seeds of Wonder): Food Gardening with Justice in Mind - is live and available on the Cornell Garden-Based Learning website.

Project S.O.W. (Seeds of Wonder): Food Gardening with Justice in Mind focuses on teens (13-19) who are looking for an experience that introduces them to how to grow food, while also laying foundations for them to explore and lead justice efforts in their community. Cornell Garden-Based Learning, based in the Horticulture Section of the School of Integrative Plant Science, developed the project.


“The young people we work with can expect to learn and lead, collaborate with others, and explore the power of their own voice,” says Lori Koenick, 4-H Youth Development Educator, CCE-Monroe County. Koenick is coordinating testing in nine counties statewide.

Through the activities in the curriculum, youth will not only learn the basics of growing produce, but they will also come to a better understanding of their local food system and the role they play in it. Themes of stewardship, reciprocity, and gratitude guide the project.


“We hope to start with what youth already know, and then build upon that knowledge,” Koenick shares. “It is our intention to convey that you don’t have to do it all. We do not want young people to feel overwhelmed, but rather to feel empowered and that they can make a difference. By focusing on their strengths and interests they can take manageable actions for positive change.”


Youth engaged in the project are encouraged to take on a project of their choosing to share what they have learned. Projects could include growing some of their own food, collaborating with others to grow produce to sell locally, raising food to donate to a pantry or other venue that can distribute the produce to those in need, giving a community presentation, and more.

Koenick expects to incorporate the experiences of her fellow educators into the curriculum in time for release for the 2022 growing season.


Learn how to use Project S.O.W. in these upcoming workshops!



© 2023 New York State 4-H Youth Development, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research, Cornell University. All Rights Reserved. The 4-H Name and Emblem have special protections from Congress, protected by code 18 USC 707. 4-H is the youth development program of our nation's Cooperative Extension System and USDA.

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Land Acknowledgement

Cornell University is located on the traditional homelands of the Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫ' (the Cayuga Nation). The Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫ' are members of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, an alliance of six sovereign Nations with a historic and contemporary presence on this land. The Confederacy precedes the establishment of Cornell University, New York state, and the United States of America. We acknowledge the painful history of Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫ' dispossession, and honor the ongoing connection of Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫ' people, past and present, to these lands and waters.

This land acknowledgment has been reviewed and approved by the traditional Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫ' leadership. Learn more

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