PCA students prepare for garden project

PRINCETON — Princeton Christian Academy students in grades 5-8, under the direction of science teacher Kathey Cook, are preparing the PCA gardens and the greenhouse for a special all-school project of growing fruits, vegetables, flowers and perennial plants. Students have done some fall plantings of hostas, and they are also starting seeds in their classroom.  A large school garden has been drawn out architecturally, designating a raised bed for each classroom, plantings for borders and trees, and a large compost pile.  Students in each class will plan and work their own garden plot.

The school is very involved in eating fresh fruits and vegetables due to winning the USDA’s Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Grant this year. Every day students snack on free fresh produce at the mid-morning break, and then enjoy a free salad bar at lunch time. The gardening project will help to provide extra produce for the school to utilize as part of the grant, and students will have the satisfaction of having grown it themselves. The compost pile also welcomes all the rinds and peelings from the fresh produce.

The school received a greenhouse from a Corn Belt Energy education grants program two years ago, and this structure is a large part of the school gardening project. Even now students have some seeds germinating in the greenhouse to prepare for the spring planting season. Students are excited to work with growing, living things during the cold, winter months.

The school has applied for grants to assist with expenses involved in the garden project, but students also welcome any donations of equipment, seeds, landscaping timbers and gardening utensils.