When students at Clara Brownell Middle School (CBMS) sit down for lunch, some of the ingredients on their trays haven’t traveled very far. In fact, they were grown just steps away from where students eat.
This year, the district’s nutrition team introduced a hydroponics garden to CBMS, bringing a new way to grow produce into the school cafeteria.
Just one month after planting their first seeds in August, the nutrition team harvested several pounds of lettuce in September. The lettuce was then served on the salad bars at CBMS and Umatilla High School.
The idea sprouted when Nutrition Director Rikkilyn Starliper attended an Oregon School Nutrition Association (OSNA) conference and saw a hydroponics demonstration from Fork Farms, a company that develops hydroponics systems.
“My goal is to have scratch cooking and nutrition education,” Starliper explained. She wants students to experience the benefits of fresh ingredients while learning more about where their food comes from.
Unlike traditional gardening, hydroponics doesn’t require soil. Instead, plants grow using water, added nutrients, and a built-in lighting system. Seeds are planted in trays, and once they begin to sprout, the seedlings are transferred into the hydroponics system, where they continue growing until they’re ready to harvest.
Lettuce is also not the only thing growing!
The team has planted thyme, rosemary, basil, cilantro, and other herbs that can be used in scratch-made meals at all four schools. Some of those ingredients have already made their way into school lunches.
Students are noticing the difference, too. One student told Starliper: “The spaghetti tastes better today.”
Starliper explained that the spaghetti had been made with fresh basil grown in the hydroponics system. “The most exciting part has been hearing the students talk about it at lunch when it is pointed out what was grown right here,” said Starliper.
Beyond bringing fresh ingredients to school meals, the hydroponics system is also an opportunity to get students involved in caring for and harvesting the plants. The system comes with a science curriculum that can be used in classrooms, allowing teachers to connect lessons about plant growth and food production with something students can see happening in their own school.
The program will also be expanding to Umatilla High School. Thanks to a $5,000 grant from the Amazon Eastern Oregon Community Fund, the district plans to purchase a second hydroponics garden for the school. “We are so grateful to Amazon for supporting this project and helping us bring more opportunities for students to learn about where their food comes from,” said Starliper.