Glen Roberts landed on an unusual idea when brainstorming ways to create a school garden in Monticello, Kentucky’s Wayne County Schools campus.
Why not alter the growing season so students could enjoy the harvest?
Roberts, a Wayne County Extension agent for agriculture and natural resources for the University of Kentucky, realized that planting the garden in the summer — rather than spring, as is tradition — and harvesting in the fall would provide a unique learning experience for students.
He was correct.
“Transplanting the seedlings at just the right time is the key to the success of the garden,” says Roberts, who has been gardening for more than 40 years. “We transplant at sundown, and that helps as the plants gets established in the evening hours and not in the sweltering heat.”
Planting is completed before school lets out for the summer, Roberts explains. Then, a team of dedicated students work throughout May, June, and July to maintain the garden through careful irrigation and by monitoring individual plants.
“Changing the growing season requires watering more frequently,” says Roberts. “We also use a lighter shade of plastic in the garden, which is cooler than the traditional black covering and keeps the seedlings from overheating throughout the summer, which helps their productivity.”
Over the 12 years (and counting) since the garden’s establishment, the project has proven to be a game-changer for both the school system and the community. Created in partnership with the University of Kentucky Extension and the Wayne County School System, the project provides valuable work experience for students, and the produce is delivered to local elementary, middle, and high school cafeterias for use in their school lunches. Vegetables grown in the garden include broccoli, brussel sprouts, spinach, tomatoes, cantaloupe, watermelon, cucumber, eggplant, cabbage, cauliflower, pumpkins, bell peppers, banana peppers, and corn.
“The school garden is a true partnership,” says Linda Jones, Wayne County Schools public relations coordinator. “With the help of Wayne County Schools Area Technology Center agriculture instructor Justin Horton, Roberts, and Terry Bertram [Wayne County University of Kentucky program assistant for agriculture and natural resources] — students are not only developing skills that will serve them well outside the classroom, but also contributing directly to the health and wellness of their fellow students.”
Both agriculture and family consumer science students are gaining usable knowledge from the garden. While the agriculture classes develop their gardening techniques, family consumer science students learn skills such as canning, recipe development, cooking, and more. Students also learn how to silk corn and get it ready to wash, bag, and store in the cooler for future use.
“Maintaining and harvesting the garden is very rewarding,” says Chris Tucker, student leader of the school garden. “I live on a farm and plan to farm full time when I graduate. This program has emphasized the importance of agriculture and the increasing need to educate people about how it relates to all of us.”
The results of the students’ hard work are plainly visible at each school lunch throughout the year, says Wayne County High School FFA President Jenna Morrow.
“We get to see the vegetables that we helped to grow, and it gives me a real sense of pride,” Morrow says. “I’ve been helping with the garden for four years, and I’m thankful that my school offers a program where we can get hands-on learning. It has truly made a difference in my educational experience.”
Roberts says that the cafeteria managers across the school system have been extremely supportive and communicate their needs to the team, which allows better planning for menus and creativity in the kitchen. Pumpkins are delivered to students in pre-school through the fifth grade during harvest season for decorating contests and to take home to enjoy.
“We take the remaining pumpkins to our community’s Octoberfest in the park,” says Bertram. “This allows more of the community to be aware of agriculture and what we’re doing with our school garden.”
He adds that Ag1 Farmers Co-op’s Monticello location has been instrumental in supplying such necessities as posts, plastic fittings, drip-line chemicals, fertilizer, and irrigation products for the garden.
“I am proud to live in a community that emphasizes the importance of agriculture and supports current and future farmers,” says Mitchell Stephens, Ag1 Farmers Co-op’s Monticello location manager. “Showcasing where our food comes from is essential; a lot of people think it only comes from grocery stores. Teaching students at a young age about agriculture is important for all of us.”
To learn more about the school garden, contact Glen Roberts at glen.roberts@uky.edu or Justin Horton at 606-278-2327 or
justin.horton@wayne.kyschools.us.
Organizations Support Farmers
Farmers in the Monticello, Kentucky, area rely on the University of Kentucky Extension, Kentucky State University (KSU), and the Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) to provide a variety of important agricultural programs.
KSU has a demonstration program that allows farmers to borrow equipment at no cost for their operation. Equipment includes mulch layers, weed wipers, sprayers, cattle-working equipment, and more. The SWCD in Monticello has a similar equipment-sharing program and manages the Wayne County Junior Conservation Board, a group of environmentally-focused youth focused on creating opportunities for students to become involved in local natural resources issues, promote conservation projects in the community, and develop youth leadership.
For more information about the Kentucky State University demonstration program,
contact Danny Adams at 606-348-8453 or email him at danny.adams@kysu.edu. For
more information about the Soil and Water Conservation Junior Conservation Board,
call 606-348-9383.