Project Overview
Commodities
- Vegetables: greens (leafy), greens (lettuces)
Practices
- Crop Production: conservation tillage
- Education and Training: demonstration, youth education
- Energy: energy use
- Farm Business Management: farm-to-institution
- Pest Management: cultivation, row covers (for pests)
- Production Systems: organic agriculture, transitioning to organic
- Sustainable Communities: local and regional food systems, community services, community development
Proposal abstract:
Through this project, we will establish a school greenhouse in which students directly participate in food production while learning about the tenants and merits of sustainable agriculture and healthy food. Because we are located in a northern climate, we require a greenhouse in order to produce greens throughout the school year. Vegetables from the greenhouse will be provided to the school cafeteria. In parallel, we will use a participatory process to engage teachers and local producers in preparing relevant, feasible, engaging classes in sustainable agriculture. These classes will directly engage students in all phases of the program, including planning and public awareness, greenhouse construction, compost maintenance, food production, and communications and outreach.