Ready to Grow Something Amazing!
With all the hard work put in the previous year, 2021 was the first year we would be officially planting and growing something for the students and community. Below is a progression video of 2020 to 2021 official grand opening of the school farm.
The Planting and Harvesting Experience
With dreams and plans for the club, we turned the greenhouse into a fundraising launching pad by growing over 1,200 vegetable starts (tomatoes, peppers, kale, eggplant, broccoli, etc.) and selling them are the Farmers Market. The club raised over $1,800 and grew and had a blast during the spring/summer.
Engaging the K-12 Students
Although Covid restrictions made things a little difficult, we still managed to engage all four school (High School, Middle School and two Elementary Schools) into School Farm programs and activities. Tours, Summer School, Internships and Grand Opening festival activities kept the teaching and training in full gear.
Now That's and Entrance!
Our goal is to capture the hearts and minds of the Elementary, Middle and High School students with age specific programs and curriculum. We knew if we were to engage the K-5 students, we'd need activate their imaginations. What better way than to have the best farmers in the imaginary world (Hobbits) teach them! So we built a magical Hobbit Door entrance to get their creative juices flowing.
CSA Boxes for the Community (and expenses)
Another of our goals is to make the school farm self sustaining financially. The addition of a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program provided supporting community members with a weekly box of fresh, organically grown fruits & vegetables. Those funds were used to partially cover the cost of purchasing wood chips (pathways), seeds, tools, and to cover the summer internships stipends and director/advisor costs.
