School Garden Workshop Releases 2026 Sonoran Desert School Garden Almanac

On January 22, the UA School Garden Workshop and the TUSD Food Literacy Program hosted a launch party, celebrating the release of this year's Sonoran Desert School Gardener's Almanac.

The almanac is a free resource for teachers, students and the community created in partnership with the Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation, which supports many Tucson Unified school gardens, including the new Sprouts House on the Mansfeld Magnet Middle School campus. The almanac honors the rich food and garden-based knowledge found within the communities served by TUSD schools. It provides a guide for when to plant seeds to ensure optimal growth, as well as recipes using locally-sourced ingredients. 

The Sonoran Desert School Gardener's Almanac is designed to be kid-friendly and educational, with activities students can do with their family to enhance what they're learning about in the classroom. It's also a connection to Tucson Unified's school gardening programs, which currently take place in about 70 schools across the district.