Elementary school students grow their own vegetables for lunch using tower gardens, the help of Windsor FFA Students

Windsor High School FFA students got the opportunity to take their tower gardens that were once used around the high school to elementary schools in the district to assist other students in growing vegetables for their cafeteria to serve during lunch.

The WHS Ag department got a grant to get more tower gardens for the horticulture class. The students then put them in classrooms to grow flowers and vegetables.

Jack Oglesby (11) and Elle Tippets (11) assisted elementary students at Tozer Primary on Friday, Jan. 31. They still attend other elementary classes to support the students, and the kids love when Oglesby and Tippets come to check up on the tower garden. 

Agriscience teacher and FFA adviser Melinda Spaur (staff) wanted to build community by connecting high schoolers with elementary schools to help the students grow vegetables to be consumed in their own cafeteria. 

Spaur finds it important for kids to be involved in the growing of their own food. She loves giving the kids an opportunity to learn while having fun.

“I think in our world we understand where our food comes from, and it’s not as easy as just going to the grocery store and picking it up. There is a huge value of appreciating where it comes from,” Spaur said.

The kids got to do pretty much everything from planting the vegetables to giving them the nutrients and water they need and — the most fun part —harvesting the vegetables to be served for their lunch.

“The students enjoy getting to check the Ph every week. They love caring for the tower garden,” Oglesby said. “I am glad they are getting this experience while they can so that they have a little bit of insight on how FFA works.” 

Tozer students in Alison Larson’s second grade class were able to host one of the towers in their room and got to enjoy their vegetables the following Monday for lunch.

“Our second grade class loved it so much. It was really fun to see how they learn about the tower gardens and the questions they can come up with,” Tippets said. “I think they really enjoyed it, getting to try their lettuce they  grew and they were super excited to harvest.”

The students learn many useful lessons by engaging with the tower garden project. It allows them to see first hand what they are eating and how it is grown while also showing the aspects of a farm-to-table lifestyle.

“The elementary school kids love this project. They heard from their teachers that we were doing this project and were immediately excited,” Oglesby said. “They were excited to be able to harvest and eat their plants.”

After the harvesting of their vegetables the elementary students replanted their tower garden. This time they decided to plant flowers.

The tower gardens are part of students’ Supervised Agricultural Experience project for FFA, so they will continue to be in classrooms and provide students with learning opportunities and fresh vegetables for lunch.