Yellow Tractor Program (YTP) is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating and facilitating the use of vegetable gardens for school age children. By partnering with various volunteer organizations, YTP hopes to promote school and community garden projects. We can provide the gardening organization, and resources needed for volunteers and communities who want to establish or maintain a garden project. We also provide garden-related curriculum meeting national standards in Math, Science, History, Art, Social Studies, Language Arts, and Health and Nutrition. As subscriber to YTP, discounts to certain suppliers can be accessed with some discounts up to 30%. The Yellow Tractor Program advocates for sustainable growth by clearing a path for food security, building opportunities for healthier life skills, and providing a safe place for children to grow not only food, but themselves.

The inspiration behind the Yellow Tractor Program comes from the desire to help children eat healthier, thinking about what is good for their bodies, and providing the opportunity to make healthy choices for themselves. This creates the essential fuel needed for a food-secure and nutrition-rich community. The growing garden movement recognizes the importance of promoting a connection to the earth, to our food, and to preserving outdoor space for students. Raising eco- and agriculturally-literate children, who understand the connections growing gardens can make, is the focus of the Yellow Tractor Program. Implementing the Yellow Tractor Program program helps to encourage healthy eating at home and at school; a significant strategy for health organizations and school wellness programs. We call this the “Circle of Health.” Yellow Tractor Program provides a platform for additional learning: science, math, the values of respect, responsibility and cooperation, and the sense of accomplishment that can be gained individually and as a group.

Contact Us

Amy Fox
Founder
Yellow Tractor Program
703.638.3200
amybrownfox@yellowtractorprogram.com

Wendy H. Irwin
Director of Strategy and Development
Yellow Tractor Program
847.791.7941
wendy@yellowtractorprogram.com

Kathleen Luczak
Director of Sales and Marketing
703.201.8362
kathleen@yellowtractorprogram.com

Eric Hess
Project Management
847.337.6301
eric@yellowtractorprogram.com

Yellow Tractor Program would like to emphasize what we call the Circle of Health. This is the concept of creating a circle that fulfills itself by providing a range of behaviors and connections. These components intern benefit a child's health. By exploring what we eat, how we learn, and the impact it has on how we live, the Circle of Health can provide a natural and easy path for a child's healthy lifestyle.

Children start with the creation of a garden, which involves going outside, using hard work to plant seeds, weed, and tend the garden. Along with all of the things that can be learned from the actual garden, students benefit body and mind from experiencing nature and being outdoors.

Children like to eat what they grow. Food grown in an organic garden is free of pesticides and chemicals. Children get to know that vegetables actually taste good, creating a healthy attitude about food. When children eat a healthy diet they are less likely to be overweight and more aware of the positive choices of good nutrition. On a larger scale, this reduces the burden on our healthcare system.

Circle of Health

• Students outdoors
• Gardening equals exercising
• Food grown by students, more likely to be eaten by students
• School garden grown vegetables are free of pesticides and chemicals
• Eating more vegetables creates healthier palates
• Healthier eating means healthier bodies
• Reduces the burden on the healthcare system