The 2026 Grow Your Own Food program marked another outstanding year of agricultural education across DuPage County. After months of planning that began with school registration in the fall, the program came to life during delivery week, May 4–6, when supplies were distributed to classrooms throughout the county. This year’s program reached more students than ever before, continuing to build on the success of previous years.

Grow Your Own Food is designed to give students a hands-on introduction to agriculture by showing them how food is grown from the very beginning. Through an educational video and an interactive tomato transplanting activity, students explored the basics of gardening, learned how to care for young plants, and gained a better understanding of the journey food takes before it reaches their tables. At the end of the lesson, each student brought home their tomato plant to nurture throughout the summer months.

This year, the Grow Your Own Food program reached 76 schools, 213 teachers, and 5,202 students across DuPage County. The continued expansion of this program reflects the strong support of those who believe in the value of connecting young people to agriculture through meaningful, hands-on learning opportunities.

From May 4–6, the DuPage County Farm Bureau organized the distribution of classroom materials at DuPage Event Center & Fairgrounds, whose partnership once again provided the space needed to coordinate this countywide effort. Volunteers from the local community, DuPage County Farm Bureau members, representatives from Ball Horticultural, and COUNTRY Financial worked together to deliver materials to participating schools. Thanks to our dedicated volunteers, every classroom received its supplies and was fully prepared for students to begin their tomato transplanting activity.

President Bill Pauling loading soil at the DuPage Event Center & Fairgrounds.

Joe Pauling volunteering at the DuPage Event Center & Fairgrounds.

Executive Director Kara Norton, Corrine Pauling, and IFB District 5 Director LuAnne Matejcak.

Volunteers and Staff at DuPage Event Center & Fairgrounds.

The success of Grow Your Own Food relies on the generosity of our valued donors and partners. We extend our sincere gratitude to Ball Horticultural, College of DuPage, DuPage Event Center & Fairgrounds, Midwest Trading, COUNTRY Financial, Ace Hardware, 4imprint, and our dedicated Farm Bureau members, whose contributions help make this program possible year after year. We also thank the DuPage Foundation for awarding a Community Impact Grant in support of this program. Thanks to all our donors, thousands of students are able to engage directly with agriculture in a memorable and impactful way.

Students from Washington Elementary and Sycamore Trails Elementary participating in the transplanting activity.

Classrooms across DuPage County had a wonderful time taking part in this year’s program. Students not only participated in transplanting their tomato seedlings but also discovered the responsibility involved in caring for them as they grow.

Educators across DuPage County shared positive feedback about the impact of this year’s Grow Your Own Food program:

Pleasant Hill Elementary
“I am grateful that you offer this great opportunity for kids. We have so many students at my school who have never experienced something like this.”
— Katie Clark

Butterfield Elementary
“Thank you so much for organizing this program! I had so many students begin their garden journey last summer after doing this program!”
— Sydney Wilken

Concord School
“I was amazed by how organized everything was. It was awesome and easy to complete this hands-on activity with students.”
— Kristen Kaplan

Maplebrook Elementary
“This was such a fun experience that connected perfectly to our literacy curriculum! We love that this program promotes healthy foods and growing your own food.”
— Jen Doyle

We are delighted to see the meaningful impact the Grow Your Own Food program continues to have in classrooms across DuPage County. Students are now caring for their tomato plants at home, applying what they learned in the classroom as they nurture them throughout the summer. Each student will receive admission and a mega-pass ride wristband to the 2026 DuPage County Fair thanks to the generosity of DuPage Event Center & Fairgrounds. Students will have the chance to showcase their plants during the summer judging event on July 25, 2026.

Thank you to everyone who contributed in this year’s program. The 2026 Grow Your Own Food program did more than deliver supplies to schools; it created opportunities for discovery, sparked interest in agriculture, and encouraged students to experience the rewards of growing their own food. We look forward to seeing their hard work on display at the DuPage County Fair.