Our purpose as special educators in conjunction with student goals, is to develop a culture of responsibility, understanding and a strong work-ethic through project-based and hands-on learning for our students with developmental and intellectual disabilities.  Many of our students are from lower-income households, and have limited exposure to how healthy food is sown, grown, harvested and created into body-nourishing meals.  The project came from their interest and desire to learn how to grow and harvest vegetables and their affinity for animals.  As special educators, we seek a direct garden-kitchen connection in order to expose students to healthy, home-grown (in our case-school-grown) fruits, vegetables and chicken eggs within a sustainable and organic garden system.