Grow it and they will eat

Students at Marion Harding High School in Marion, OH, are building a greenhouse that will be used to grow vegetables for the school’s cafeteria. The school bought a greenhouse kit that students and science teacher Adam Schmidt are building in the courtyard. Students worked before Thanksgiving to finish building the greenhouse and then started moving shelves that will be used in the greenhouse.

 

“It’s been nice to see the students get out of the classroom, get moving, and apply things they learned,” says Schmidt. Depending on how much they participate, some students may earn science credit by participating. It also will count toward their community service hours required to graduate.

 

Schmidt says the greenhouse will start with dark green, leafy vegetables such as spinach and herbs such as basil, which grow well in cold weather conditions. Beyond that he says the greenhouse could grow and sell flowers and work with the art department to make corsages that students could buy for the prom.

 

Marion City Schools Food Service Director Winnie Brewer hopes the idea will spread to other schools in the area and that it could serve as a “launchpad to secure more funding,” She plans to take the training necessary to become a certified trainer in produce.

 

“There’s a grassroots movement to use products grown locally,” says Brewer, who hopes to teach students how to raise their own produce. “It’s a better way,” Brewer says. “It helps the community and it helps our kids understand how everything is full-circle.”