Local Food Hero Explore Ecology Garden Program

This year’s Local Food Hero Award honors the Explore Ecology Garden Program and its Garden Educators, please join us for an award ceremony at 2 pm. at

14th Annual Santa Barbara Community Seed Swap

Community Arts Workshop (SBCAW)

631 Garden Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

2022 Local Food Hero Award

This year the award goes to the Explore Ecology School Garden Program and its amazing Garden Educators. Explore Ecology’s mission is to educate the next generation of environmental stewards, serving more than 30,000 children annually. As a part of their mission, Explore Ecology’s Garden Educators teach garden-based lesson plans in 30 local schools, connecting children to the food they eat while creating healthy garden ecosystems. Unique to the program is the ongoing support of a dedicated Garden Educator for each participating school, working with both the teachers & their students.

Past award recipients include Matt Buckmaster, owner of Island Seed & Feed Nursery; Nancy Weiss, Director of Food Services for the Santa Barbara School District; Kevin Childerley, Santa Barbara Aquaponics; Judy Sims, Educator, school & community gardens advocate; Marshall Chrostowski, organic farmer & seed saver extraordinaire; Lorenz Schaller, ancient grains researcher & founder Kusa Seed Society; Oscar Carmona, Healing Grounds Nursery; Jerry Sortomme, founder of SBCC Environmental Horticulture Department; and the Santa Barbara Certified Farmers Market with all its farmers & growers.

14th Annual Santa Barbara Community Seed Swap

Sunday, March 20, 2022

11-4 pm, Free - Rain or Shine!

Children Welcome

Community Arts Workshop (SBCAW)

631 Garden Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101