Maize program has students growing food for lunch

MAIZE, Kan. (KSNW) — Students at Maize schools are getting the opportunity to reap what they sow. A grant from the Department of Agriculture allowed them to buy 35 hydroponic gardens to be distributed in all 14 schools.

Megan Barnard, the director of food service for Maize, says they looked for a way to get local, sustainable, fresh produce. Each garden is equivalent to a 40-square-foot farm. There are 18 different varieties, including kale, spinach, peppers, and tomatoes.

“Using less water than if we were to purchase it from a farm grown in Arizona and California,” Barnard said. “So our footprint is a little bit less when we’re using it here at the school.”

An educator is in charge of the garden, but students are responsible for the daily maintenance like testing the PH and trimming the roots. The students plant, maintain harvest, and eat what they produce.

The students are trying and learning about crops unfamiliar to them, setting them up for the future.

“Gives them exposure to some culinary aspects and agricultural aspects that they maybe wouldn’t have considered as a career,” Barnard said. “So as they get older in our high schools, they have the career and technical education path that they could now have some exposure and be interested in and take those classes and already have a leg up.”

Barnard says educators are using the gardens to teach hands-on learning in science and agriculture, as well as skills like leadership and social-emotional learning.

“Us in food service, we’re excited to see the kids eat the produce but amazed at what they’ve used the gardens to teach,” Barnard said.

She says this produce is fresh, sustainable, and more nutrient-dense because it goes directly from the soil to plates in the cafeteria.

Fourth grader Lia Salas says she hadn’t gardened before getting the opportunity at school.

“I thought it was pretty cool because I was helping growing it and just helping it out, and we’re gonna put it in the lunchroom soon,” Salas said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV.