Online Magazine: Learn & Grow

Join Us 02/20/2026 at La Carreta

On February 20, 2026, from 3:30 to 4:30 PM at La Carreta, Thousand Oaks, a public event will teach self-watering container gardening using donated food-safe buckets. Participants can decorate pre-built containers and grow plants. Donations are welcomed for additional containers. No reservations needed; it’s first-come, first-serve.

Vote on Our Next Online Class Topics

We are so blessed to have so many wonderful learners accessing our free online instruction on Meetup via Zoom. We have developed topics that continue to attract new learners each time they are presented, but we also want to create new content for our learners who have already taken our existing offering of classes. Please complete and submit this survey […]

Food for Thought – Episode 14: A Visit with Carrie from GroTech Gardens, Makers of GroBucket

In this episode of Food for Thought, Carrie Runnals of GroTech Gardens, makers of the GroBucket self-watering container visits the Learn & Grow Virtual Sustainability Learning Center and test garden, all the way from Georgia. Carrie and her husband, Joe, hit the road in their beautifully upgraded RV to travel and enjoy our beautiful country and connect with all of […]

Food for Thought – Episode 13: Interview: Stephanie Ryan, PhD

In this episode of Food for Thought, Anne M. Zachry, M.A. Ed. Psych., creator of the Learn & Grow Educational Series interviews Dr. Stephanie Ryan about her book, her online instructional content and teaching to the science standards at home with everyday items. They discuss their different approaches to science through Project-Based Learning (PBL), modeling, scaffolding, and other evidence-based practices, […]

Food for Thought – Episode 12: Decorating Self-Watering Containers with Acrylic Pour Art

In this 12th episode of Food for Thought, Anne M. Zachry, the creator of the Learn & Grow Educational Series, demonstrates how to decorate self-watering containers using acrylic pour art, plus an additional bonus craft project using contact paper. For self-watering container gardeners who are making their container from used 5-gallon buckets recycled from restaurants, bakeries, delis, cafeterias, etc., your […]