Mount Markham Elementary School

outdoor garden features 27 raised beds, rose bush garden, and a raised strawberry patch as well as functional compost pile. Indoor has a 16 square foot hydroponics table used to grow, harvest and dry herbs for sale.Produce is grown via seed in classrooms and transplanted outdoors. Students tend to the plot until harvest when they consume the products in fresh, unporocessed forms.

To expose our students to the real life experience of growing fresh food with the hopes of influencing their personal food choices throughout life.

We challenge the theory that children need to try a new food at least 10 times before accepting it..Often times we impose our adult attitudes concerning foods on our children which alters their young life expereinces. By giving each child at our school exposure to the process of growing, learning, nurturing, and harvesting their food they are more likely to embrace fresh unporcessed choices.

Our garden plans started in 2007. In April of 2008, we broke ground on GREENS- grow, run, eat, energy, nutrition- a 27 raised bed square foot garden design. In 2009-2010 we added a 16 sqaure foot hydroponics table for our four third grade classes. They are raising herbs on the table for drying and create dried herbal mixes for sale.In 2010 we received a small grant to pilot the addition of the foods directly into the lunches of the students who have raised the produce.Our students are exposed to rose care, flowers, vegetables for consumption and composting. Our garden uses no chemical pesticides.