In October, Victory Garden Initiative will launch the third session of its successful Food Leader Certificate program, which trains two dozen people in community organizing and leadership skills and strategies and how to grow food. Students attend gardening classes and retreats and learn to start seeds and cook healthy meals. Each participant will orchestrate an independent or community project.

Gretchen Mead, executive director of Victory Garden Initiative, co-teaches the course. Accomplishments of past groups include the construction of a prototype for a handicapped-accessible raised bed garden, fundraising to build UW-Milwaukee’s first hoop house, planting an orchard in Tippecanoe Park, launching a microgreens business and helping create a composting system for a large workplace.

For more information or to register for the program, call 414-431-0888 or visit VictoryGardenInitiative.org.