Planting the Seed of Interest

On November 25, 2019, Bridgeton Public Schools hosted its first field trip for students to the hydroponic greenhouse at Bridgeton High School. Thirty pre-schoolers from the Quarter Mile Lane School bundled up and made the journey to come have an educational and interactive day. During their time in the greenhouse the students learned all about how the hydroponic system works and were especially excited to plant their own seeds in one of the 540 spaces. Students also took a tour of the kitchen at the high school where they learned all about food safety and production. Furthermore, the students received a nutrition lesson from the two registered dietitians on staff in the district about different vegetables. They were taught how the vegetables grow, different ways to eat them, and why they are good for you. The field trip wrapped up with a delicious picnic in the greenhouse. This was the first of many field trips to come. The plan is to work through each grade level until every one of the 6,000 students in the district have visited the greenhouse.

Students Enjoying Their Harvest

The Bridgeton High School greenhouse was in full production for Jersey Fresh Farm to School Week. Three classes (ESL Biology, Nutrition, and Biology) helped to harvest arugula, basil, and cilantro from the 540 plant system. These students then enjoyed bbq chicken flat bread pizza with goat cheese that was topped with their freshly grown arugula and a strawberry arugula salad. Students raved about the recipes that incorporated their hard work. There are students from these classes who monitor the greenhouse daily to ensure that temperature, nutrients, pH, and water levels are at appropriate levels to ensure a fruitful harvest. These students will soon be going into the pre-schools to teach the students there all about hydroponics and help them to take care of their own hydroponic grow towers that can hold 75 plants.

First Harvest From BHS Greenhouse

The science students at Bridgeton High School have been working diligently every day to ensure that their arugula, cilantro, and dill produce their best harvest. They enjoyed their first harvest of arugula in an arugula with strawberry and goat cheese salad with balsamic vinaigrette. There was not a single leaf left! The students thoroughly enjoyed the fruits of their labor and even gave surplus herbs to their teachers and other staff members.

Continuing to Grow A Love For Gardening

On rainy days and winter months when going out to the school gardens are impossible there are still great opportunities to expand the students' knowledge of gardening in a variety of different subjects. The Bridgeton Public Schools recently purchased 23 different books for West Avenue and Cherry Street that discuss gardening as it relates to science, social studies, math, and history. These books include topics such as the benefit of bees, weird and interesting food habits around the world, and how past presidents like Thomas Jefferson and George Washington influenced gardening. Continuing to foster the students' interest in gardening even when they can't physically go into the garden can help to encourage them to become physically active and try new, delicious fruits and vegetables.

Preparing For the Spring Growing Season

The Bridgeton Public Schools have several gardens throughout the district and they are all preparing for their spring season. Orders are in for seeds, garden soil, tomato cages, and even compost bins. Dozens of books have been ordered to connect the gardens with subjects such as math, science, and even social studies. Additionally, the knowledge of hydroponic growing is expanding from the high school and Broad Street to West Avenue, Quarter Mile Lane, and Geraldine O. Foster Early Childhood Center. The Broad Street hydroponic tower is pictured above and is on its fourth crop of lettuce. The students enjoy caring, harvesting, and eating their leafy greens.

To start the growing season the gardens are planting cold whether crops that the students will be able to grow and harvest before the school year ends in June. These crops include: beets, carrots, radishes, snap peas, lettuce, kale, collard greens, and swiss chard. The students and staff are excited for the warmer weather and chance to get outside. In fact, gardening provides many health benefits for individuals of all ages. It engages all of the senses, encourages healthy eating, and enhances fine motor skills. Gardening also introduces students to scientific concepts, provides a social activity, teaches responsibility and patience. It also helps students to learn planning and organizational skills when planting, caring for, and harvesting the garden. Furthermore, studies are showing that exposure to friendly soil bacteria could improve mood by boosting the immune system just as effectively as antidepressant drugs.

Lettuce Celebrate!

The hydroponic grow wall at Broad Street has officially had its first successful lettuce crop! After working out the kinks students have become pros in how to effectively use the grow wall to yield beautiful heads of leafy greens.

Learning All About Lima Beans

At Broad Street School in Bridgeton, NJ, Ms. Beebe's 5th grade homeroom class is learning all about lima beans! Despite the cold weather outside, the students are taking full advantage of their grow light to bring their school garden indoors. The students used the grow light to start their own seedlings and have taken great care in nurturing them into healthy and vibrant plants. The students even take time out of their day to read to their plants as picture above.

Sprouting A Love for Hydroponics

Students at Broad Street have begun their first planting of lettuce in their hydroponic grow tower. The tower is located in the cafeteria and the students are very excited to see the seedlings daily progress when they visit for their meals. Broad Street also has an outdoor garden that the students care for in the spring, summer, and fall. The grow tower will allow them to extend their growing season into the winter. Once the seedlings have become fully grown lettuce leafs the students and staff will partner with the cafeteria to conduct taste tests.

Planting A Seed Of Knowledge

Staff at Bridgeton High School have included the new greenhouse and hydroponic system into the curriculum and students are certainly enjoying their time in their outdoor classroom. The greenhouse has been outfitted with tables and stools to fit 36 students comfortably. So far, the students have learned about the history of hydroponics and which ancient civilizations incorporated the technique for horticulture purposes. They also learned the basics of hydroponic gardening and extended their learning through research. The students have planted their first round of lettuce in the hydroponic system and almost daily observe the growth and progress of their seedlings. Once the lettuce is harvested, the students will conduct taste tests and hopefully have enough to bring some home with them to share with their families.

New Hydroponic GrowWall to Bring the Garden to the Classroom

Starting in the 2018-2019 school year, students at the Broad Street School can expect to see leafy greens growing in their school. Due to funds from the New Jersey Healthy Communities Network Grant the Bridgeton Public School District will be purchasing an OPCOM® Farm GrowWall. This is an all-in-one hydroponic growing system that can produce 75 plants at once. This system will allow students to see leafy greens, such as lettuce, kale, and beet greens, grow year round. Students will plant the seeds into cubes of grow medium and place them in the built in nursery until the seedlings grow tall enough to be placed in the spaces on the five level system. Students will also learn how to provide the correct amount of nutrients to the plants to promote growth and how to balance the pH of the growing solution. If all goes well with the instillation and utilization of this hydroponic tower, we are hopeful to have more installed in the district.