Teachers and staff at Howe Elementary school in Wisconsin Rapids noticed the benefits of community gardens and built four raised beds at Howe school in 2010. After a successful first gardening season the garden needed to be expanded. During the 2011 growing season Howe school added ten raised garden beds, a 150 gallon rain water collection system, and an outdoor learning space to their school garden. With help from the Wood County Health Department’s “Get Active” campaign and Woodlands church, Howe Elementary school was able to add ten raised beds to the four garden beds they used during the previous gardening season. Woodlands church donated all of the garden building supplies with help from Home Depot. Forty members of the church congregation built ten garden beds, a rain barrel system, and an outdoor learning space during their annual spring into action service day.
The ten additional garden beds have allowed more people from the Wisconsin Rapids community to get involved in gardening. Families from Howe school have adopted the gardens and take care of them during the summer months until school begins in the fall. The gardens will serve as an outdoor learning space during the school year. School gardens provide an excellent opportunity for students to learn about the environment, small scale agriculture, food preparation, photosynthesis, and the cell cycle. The gardens also serve as an avenue for children to experiment with new food and eat fresh nutritious produce.
Throughout the summer 50-60 raised garden beds were built and planted in Wood County. Garden locations outside of Wisconsin Rapids included: Pittsville, Vesper, Nekoosa, Auburndale, Marshfield, and Port Edwards. Pittsville also received a brand new greenhouse with help from the Wood County Health Department and Future Farmers of America (FFA). These gardens and greenhouses have the potential to impact several hundred elementary, middle, and high school students as well as many low income families. Several of the community gardens planted will donate surplus produce to food pantries throughout the county. Many of the school gardens used vegetables grown in them for healthy snacks in the classroom. Several schools started to supplement the school lunch program's salad bar with vegetables grown from the gardens and greenhouses. Auburndale High School is currently supplementing their lunch program with fresh lettuce from the greenhouse. A hydroponic system is being installed which will increase production of fresh lettuce and tomatoes for the lunch line. It will be exciting to see the progress the schools and communities of Wood County make during the 2012 growing season toward their goal of healthy school lunches and the ultimate goal of decreasing obesity in school-aged children.
Works Cited:
Usaa Magazine. "Turn Finds into Cash." Https://www.usaa.com. 25 May 2011. Web. 02 Nov. 2011.
3 comments:
It often seems like the tradition of tending to a garden has disappeared in the younger generation. Many of us are disconnected with our food: where it comes from and how it was grown. I think it is important to see how and where food is grown; to touch it, feel it and experience it.
Local agriculture not only lessens the dependence on industrial food systems, but it also saves the costs and consequences associated with packaging and transporting food long distances. Growing and harvesting your own garden ultimately gives one the security of knowing that their food is safe, available, and sustainable.
Encouraging local sustenance is integral in a time of increasing food insecurity. As you mentioned, some of this food can be donated to those in need. Those who donate it also learn to value the importance of supporting one another.
Community gardens bring people together to share their knowledge and bonds are created with one another. Older individuals can serve as mentors for youth and pass on their values. Growing Power has changed the lives of many young people through this philosophy.
Most importantly, people of all ages can develop an understanding of how natural systems work and practice environmental stewardship. The garden is an outdoor classroom unmatched by any other alternative, thus I feel that it should be a part of every child's education. Participation in the garden environment encourages the development of knowledge and inspiration in many different areas of the natural and social sciences.
I am always ecstatic to see more people devoting efforts towards local food initiatives. With all of the benefits involved, I feel like we need to invest more in these programs.
When I was in high school 4 years ago my high school did the exact same thing. I think it is great to see other schools implementing this. It seems most of the children growing up now are not as exposed to gardening as older generations are. These gardens are a great tool to show kids what the benefits of hard work can be, and teach them about responsibility while improving costs, and the environment. This will also help everyone eat healthier and fight obesity in children. I was very excited and proud of myself after I got eat the products of all my hard work when I participated in the gardens in high school.
Thanks for the insight. I think gardens in schools will increase in the Central Wisconsin area as more schools hear about the gardens in Wood County. As teachers begin to see the benefits of school gardens the demand for school gardens should increase. The response from the students at each school was very impressive. They would always ask about the garden and when they could use it next.
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