About
Garden Joy offers a hands-on garden program where kids take part in gardening, garden exploration, and classes that involve them in all aspects of gardening. The program also includes hands on field trips, camps, a free monthly story time, and Farm to School Recipe Kits that include fresh produce, cooking tools, a recipe, and all the ingredients needed to create a healthy meal at home. Garden Joy also connects with families through the Ripon Farmers Market.
• Ages: 0–12 years old
• Schedule: Free monthly story time and garden exploration for youth and their caregivers on the first Friday of most months at 9:00 am; Ripon Farmers Market every Thursday from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm throughout May–September.
• Price: Garden Joy provides free and low cost educational experiences.
Garden Joy was founded in 2016 and is a registered non-profit 501(c)3. Its mission statement is that Garden Joy was built to cultivate wellness and community through a hands-on garden program. The leadership team includes Director of Garden Joy Sarah Darpinian, Ripon Farmers Market Director Heather Crooker, Garden Joy Board Members Jolene Peters, Lacee King, Tara Wagner, Kelly Donohue, Tanya McManis, and Kristin Okada, Farm Manager Rosel Vander Plaats, and Recipe Kit Leaders Janet Marticorena and Darla Haveman.
Garden Joy educates local youth about seasonal eating through gardening and serves about 1,000 local kids annually through field trips, camps, and classes. All of the produce grown at Garden Joy is donated to local organizations like food pantries and schools, with over 15,000 pounds donated to the community to date, and Garden Joy helps feed local food pantries. The Ripon Farmers Market is the largest fundraising opportunity of the year for Garden Joy, and all vendor proceeds go to the garden’s operational expenses. Garden Joy exists because of the generosity of donors, volunteers, grants, and farmers market support, and it offers programs that provide thousands of pounds of fresh produce to the community and free education to local youth. Garden Joy does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status in any of its activities or operations.
Testimonials shared by Garden Joy include quotes such as, “Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much” by Helen Keller, “Why try to explain miracles to your children when you can have them plant a garden” by Janet Kilburn Phillips, “beautiful things happen when nurturing and healing together” from board member Jolene Peters, and “Seeing kids' eyes light up as they begin to discover the world of gardening is exciting!” from board member Lacee King.
Last updated April 2, 2026.
• Ages: 0–12 years old
• Schedule: Free monthly story time and garden exploration for youth and their caregivers on the first Friday of most months at 9:00 am; Ripon Farmers Market every Thursday from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm throughout May–September.
• Price: Garden Joy provides free and low cost educational experiences.
Garden Joy was founded in 2016 and is a registered non-profit 501(c)3. Its mission statement is that Garden Joy was built to cultivate wellness and community through a hands-on garden program. The leadership team includes Director of Garden Joy Sarah Darpinian, Ripon Farmers Market Director Heather Crooker, Garden Joy Board Members Jolene Peters, Lacee King, Tara Wagner, Kelly Donohue, Tanya McManis, and Kristin Okada, Farm Manager Rosel Vander Plaats, and Recipe Kit Leaders Janet Marticorena and Darla Haveman.
Garden Joy educates local youth about seasonal eating through gardening and serves about 1,000 local kids annually through field trips, camps, and classes. All of the produce grown at Garden Joy is donated to local organizations like food pantries and schools, with over 15,000 pounds donated to the community to date, and Garden Joy helps feed local food pantries. The Ripon Farmers Market is the largest fundraising opportunity of the year for Garden Joy, and all vendor proceeds go to the garden’s operational expenses. Garden Joy exists because of the generosity of donors, volunteers, grants, and farmers market support, and it offers programs that provide thousands of pounds of fresh produce to the community and free education to local youth. Garden Joy does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status in any of its activities or operations.
Testimonials shared by Garden Joy include quotes such as, “Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much” by Helen Keller, “Why try to explain miracles to your children when you can have them plant a garden” by Janet Kilburn Phillips, “beautiful things happen when nurturing and healing together” from board member Jolene Peters, and “Seeing kids' eyes light up as they begin to discover the world of gardening is exciting!” from board member Lacee King.
Last updated April 2, 2026.
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