Bio

Hillary Marra creates edible school gardens, teacher training and family garden to table programs for schools, families and communities. She has taught edible gardening and cooking to thousands of children, educators and families for over 20 years.

Hillary has founded and directed edible school garden programs for toddlers, preschoolers, elementary, middle and high school students throughout New York, including a garden-to-table cooking internship for high school seniors. 

Hillary trained at Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture and has received recognition by Cornell Cooperative Extension. She was the Family Food Solution speaker on Assemblywoman Sandra Galef’s televised program, “Panel on Childhood Nutrition” and UJA Federation’s, “Raising Healthy Children”. Hillary has trained Preschool Directors and Educators at the Westchester Association of Young Children’s Annual Conference and The Jewish Education Project's, “Every Blade of Grass” Conference, as well as the National Directors at Girl Scouts of the USA’s Healthy Eating Forum. Hillary has been a contributing blogger for the JEP’s In-Site-Ful Journey blog and has published in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International’s, “Countdown for Kids” Magazine. She was featured on Fox 5’s, “Street Talk,” for leading 100 teens to build an edible school garden on Long Island, in response to Hurricane Sandy. 

 Hillary lives in New York with her family.

Testimonials

As nyc transplants, I always looked forward to growing my own vegetables and becoming more knowledgeable about gardening once I left the city.  I started working with Hillary this season and am already so excited to sign up for summer classes with her.

She has made gardening easy, accessible and fun and we have been doing it all virtually!

Hillary has an amazing, encouraging way about her.  She breaks down gardening into easy, doable and manageable monthly projects that truly give me a sense of accomplishment and hope that I can now include my daughter and teach her what I learn.

Last year gardening seemed cumbersome and downright sad, ie sitting at the dining room table reading seed packets i could hardly understand
 and realizing I’d waited too long and needed to start growing seeds into seedlings for transplanting into the ground or bed a month ago.  Those days are over.

With Hillary, We have a simple monthly calendar and we are introducing new crops each month and her kind and caring way is always very encouraging. She is a wonderful cheerleader and always takes the time to answer questions or find the answers to questions and follow up.

As a visual learner, I wanted someone who could show me the way, keep it simple and send me off on my own.
-Danielle Rehfeld Colen, Chef, Mom and Writer, Board member The Sylvia Center

Excited to keep getting dirty and planting into spring and summer with Hillary and so glad we signed up for her family focused gardening.   I feel like these projects will become
Lifelong monthly traditions that are part of the seasonality of our lives and best of all that  I know we have fresh food growing right outside our door.
- Ann Pardes, Director of Early Childhood Education, Rosenthal JCC of Northern Westchester

“Having Hillary Marra as our Garden & Food Consultant on staff enriches the lives of our young children, their families, and our staff while working toward establishing healthy eating, proper nutrition and recipes for wholesome cooking.”
- Ann Pardes, Director of Early Childhood Education, Rosenthal JCC of Northern Westchester

"For my senior internship in High School, I was lucky enough to do the Garden Internship with Mrs. Marra. It consisted of working throughout the community in different gardens, not only teaching younger grades about the importance of healthy eating, but also showing them how easy and realistic gardening really is. 

I have never been around someone who is as passionate as Hillary is about the work she does. It was never just about planting or weeding or chopping, it was about learning techniques and having an understanding of the importance of everything we were creating. Never have I seen her without a smile on her face and the attitude that it’s not just about the product, but more about the process.

I enjoyed every second of the internship and have become great friends with Mrs. Marra because she cares, that’s who she is."
-Mark D., High School Senior Intern, Class of 2016

"Temple Beth El Early Childhood Center is very fortunate to have Hillary Marra as our garden specialist. Both the children and teachers adore her and look forward to garden time where they can plant, harvest and explore. Every visit, begins with a garden circle where Hillary provides a provocation to get the children thinking about what they're going to do next. Then, the children move into the garden where Hillary encourages them to dig in the beds, plant vegetables and flowers and  touch and smell the herbs. Hillary has a vast amount of knowledge and teaches not only the children about the garden but the teachers as well. Garden time is a very special time at our school and we owe that all to Hillary and the wonderful work she is doing with our children."
-Hope Blauner, Director, Temple Beth El Early Childhood Center

“I initially contacted you after I had gotten desperate with regard to my son’s unwillingness to try new foods and pickiness with the foods he was willing to eat.

Our sessions were very informative and thought-provoking. You help your client really understand the food issues that are going on in the home.

My son (and our whole family) has benefited from your time and efforts by becoming better, more diverse eaters. We continue to enjoy cooking together and have tried the recipes you shared with us. This summer, we look forward to a successful vegetable garden based on some of the good planning ideas you had for us.

You truly have helped our family succeed in eating better and happier.”
-Coleen MacGreevey, Mother