Cultavating Courage, Community & Connection
Chautauqua Grows Inc. empowers youth across our region through hands-on agricultural education. From classroom grow beds to community gardens, we equip students to understand food systems, explore sustainability, and develop self-sufficiency. Each site functions as a living laboratory, linking science, nutrition, and environmental stewardship.
We believe every child deserves the chance to learn where food comes from and how to grow it.
Our programs build foundational knowledge in agriculture while fostering curiosity, collaboration, and civic engagement. This initiative directly supports healthier communities and advances equitable access to food and education throughout Chautauqua County.
Out Focus Area’s
Education Through Cultivation
Gardens are powerful classrooms. Whether fogponics in a lab or soil in a schoolyard, we turn growing spaces into real-time lessons in science, systems thinking, and self-reliance.
Food Justice & Community Empowerment
Access to healthy food is a right—not a privilege. We engage youth and underserved communities in growing, sharing, and understanding food, breaking down barriers and building equity.
Youth Development & Emotional Growth
Through teamwork, reflection, and responsibility, students grow more than vegetables—they grow resilience, confidence, and emotional intelligence.
STEM-Driven Innovation
Hands-on learning includes nutrient testing, hydroponic design, data literacy, and real-world experimentation. Curiosity fuels everything we do.
Connection & Stewardship
We cultivate relationships—with land, community, and ecosystem. Gardens become places to connect, reflect, and care deeply.