CMEF - School Garden Projects

West Garden Project Grows and Grows
 
When the West Junior High Garden Project was first conceived in 2009 we could not have imagined how powerfully this garden would capture the support and attention of our community. The project, appropriately named “Growing Food, Growing West”, became a very visible symbol of what was possible--with school gardens, cafeteria food, youth employment, changing how young people relate to the foods they eat, teaching science, and community partnerships. The garden was just bursting with possibilities.
 
Relationships Provide Fertile Soil

The West Garden Project was planted in the very fertile soil of relationships. Non-profit Community Mercantile Education Foundation (CMEF) and sister organization Community Mercantile Co-op (The Merc) are the lead organizations of the project. Located in a largely residential neighborhood, The Merc is just two short blocks from West Junior High, and two neighboring elementary schools, Hillcrest and Sunset Hill.
 
With a grant of $12,000 from the local Live Well Lawrence initiative and a $6,000 commitment from The Merc we were on our way to building our garden. Live Well Lawrence funding was used to hire a professional grower to act as garden coordinator. Funds also helped with loads of compost, plants, mulch, an irrigation system, and a myriad of garden and farmers market needs. Funding from The Merc was used to hire youth to work in the garden and establish and run an on-site, twice weekly summer farmers market.
 
Generating Support and Excitement for Our Work

Before ground was even broken in the spring of 2010 we were able to generate excitement and support for the project by establishing a “Giving Garden” inside The Merc. We covered our windows with little “seed packets” each containing the name of a tool or supply we needed for the West Garden. Customers would choose a seed packet, sign their name on it as a commitment that they would purchase the tool, and then deliver it to the store. We received all we needed to begin our work.
 
After we collected our tools we realized we needed a place on site to store them. Mainstreet Credit Union, which has a branch office inside The Merc, stepped up and paid for a large garden shed that we use to house all of our supplies. Home Depot donated and installed a split rail cedar fence and arbor that has given our garden a real feeling of permanence. Stone was donated for walkways and borders, an organic grower grew many of our plant starts, and volunteers built a garden table and benches.
 
Project Provides Bounty

During the summer we split the students into weekly crews working two harvest days, two market days, and two garden maintenance days.  Students took turns harvesting, weeding, planting and selling. When school started up in the fall our harvesting schedules switched to a once weekly market on Thursdays allowing us to shift our focus on getting our produce into West Junior High's cafeteria.

In its first year the garden produced more than a half-ton of produce, with over 280 pounds of this going directly into the cafeteria for all West students to enjoy. Sale of produce and garden t-shirts at the student-run farmers market raised over $4,500 towards the future of the garden and is a significant step towards sustainability of the project.

Growing Into the Future

Plans for expansion at West include adding small fruits and fruit trees and establishing a small off-site garden at a nearby organic farm where we can grow more volume for market including for sale to The Merc. In addition we are building new gardens at two neighboring elementary schools, Hillcrest Elementary and Sunset Hill Elementary, with West Junior High students acting as mentors at these gardens. We are planting an edible garden in front of The Merc that will help bring attention to our combined projects, now entitled “Growing Food, Growing Health.”
 
Most importantly, the West garden has helped build excitement and support for farm-to-school efforts in our community. It has been a shining example of what’s possible when communities, schools, and businesses work together to create change.