LRMS Farm-to-School program continues to grow

Residents who drive on Sixth Street in the morning near Lind-Ritzville Middle School (LRMS) may notice students working in a garden near the football and baseball fields. Some students are watering plants, while others are disposing of weeds into a wheelbarrow.

The students are enrolled in LRMS’ Farm-to-School program, an elective held during second period throughout the school year.

In the program, students learn skills to grow and harvest crops. After harvest, the students bring the food to the cafeteria to be served on the school’s lunch menu, providing healthy food options to students.

LRMS Agriculture Teacher Amanda Klindworth said interest and attendance in the program has increased since it began in 2015.

She explained the idea for a Farm-to-School program at LRMS began when a group of sixth-grade students wanted to start a farmer’s market, and sell fruits and vegetables outside of her classroom. She approached the school board, who approved the creating a Farm-to-School program at LRMS.

Klindworth said the program received grant funding to help with costs, such as a $91,227 Healthy Foods for Healthy Kids grant from the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). The funds were used to remodel the Home Economics room into an industry standard prep kitchen and purchase a food processor, which the students learned to use.

The program also received funds from CF Industries for irrigation equipment, a $2,000 Northwest Farm Credit Services Rural Community Grant and a $500 contribution from the Lind-Ritzville FFA Alumni. The donations were used to purchase garden and irrigation supplies and seeds. They also received seed and soil donations from the community.

Farm-to-School programs began sprouting around the United States through pilot projects in the late 1990s through the National Farm to School Network. The program encourages schools to purchase locally produced, fresh-farm food and serve it on the cafeteria menus.

Klindworth said LRMS’ program is different in that the students grow and process the food themselves. The food is ready to be served once they deliver it to the cafeteria.

Hunter Dinkins, one of the students in the program, said a typical day in the class consists of students dividing into groups. While they are in their groups, they will plant and water the plants at the greenhouse and the garden. Students will also maintain the garden by removing weeds and cleaning any debris.

Each group is assigned a foreman, who acts as the group leader. Klindworth explained the foreman receives the instructions and will relay them to the other group members. During the class hour, the foreman will grade the other group member’s contributions and describe which tasks were completed.

The students grow a variety of vegetables in the garden and greenhouse throughout the year. Since school has started, students have planted salad greens, radishes and Swiss Chard. In previous years, students have grown potatoes, cucumbers, tomatoes, and even a pineapple tree.

Klindworth added student volunteers will help maintain the garden during the summer.

Raegan Snider is one of the students enrolled in the program for the second year. She enjoys the opportunity to go outside and plant vegetables, as well as learn how to use equipment. Snider said the program has impacted the school in a positive way by allowing her and other students to grow and serve healthy food at lunch.

In addition to growing and harvesting crops, the program allows students to increase their agriculture knowledge. Klindworth said students learn concepts like germination, which is the process of organism growing from a seed into a plant. They also gain knowledge of different kinds of soils and roots, and how to design their own farm.

In addition to growing food in the garden and greenhouse, Klindworth is hoping students will have an opportunity to utilize space at the front of the school to grow edible plants.