North Branch School Garden

January in Minnesota can be brutal and tends to lead our thoughts to warmer days ahead.  Our client was wondering how we could get more farm fresh produce to our students.

“When I was growing up, we had gardens.  What is stopping us from doing that with our community and schools?” said Deb Henton, Superintendent of North Branch Area Schools.

First we attended a special seminar called School Yard Gardening. Here we garnered great ideas, as well as links for grants, to help start our new garden.  We wanted to make it educational and integrate it within the curriculum.  Planning, plotting, and moving this idea forward, along with hands-on help from students as well as faculty meant success.   With produce requests from our on-site Chef Sharon Thompson and Food Service Director Don Kivimaki, the harvest would make for some wonderful menu choices, using items picked right outside our front door.

This was a learning year to help determine what items will grow best, so nothing was planted in large amounts.   We also requested help from a Master-Gardener to make the overall process more successful and bountiful.

Taher created a beautiful outdoor sign, to show its commitment to this joint project that will benefit the students in North Branch Schools with fresh grown produce to consume.