Schoolchildren grow veggies in high tunnels

High tunnels engage students and extend the school gardening season.
High tunnels engage students and extend the school gardening season.
From New York schoolchildren use high tunnels to grow veggies by Elisabeth Rosen, Cornell Chronicle, October 26, 2011.

“With help from Cornell horticulture faculty members, children in six New York state schools are or will be growing their own vegetables in high tunnels, which helps the students learn about issues related to food and sustainability. …

“‘This allows children to experience the excitement of growing their own radishes, lettuce, etc., significantly before the end of the school year, and well through the fall term,'[said Chris Wien, professor of horticulture, the Cornell lead on the project]. …

“‘We will be checking with the teachers on how they use the structure to teach other subjects, such as the concept of global warming,’ Wien said.

“All schools in New York state with gardening programs were invited to apply for the program. Those selected were chosen based on their level of interest, according to Wien. The next school to receive a tunnel will be PS 205 in Bayside, Queens. The other three schools have not yet been determined.

“The project is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.”

Read the whole article.

View WROC News 8 Rochester video.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *