Seventh-grade Fayetteville-Manlius Central School District student Claire Grenis was never a big fan of vegetables.
“I just never really wanted to eat them,” she said.
But her mindset changed earlier this year when Eagle Hill Middle School’s Family and Consumer Science (FACS) teacher Robin Brenner introduced Grenis and her classmates to the school’s student-run greenhouse.
Added onto the school’s building in the mid-1970s, the 335-square foot greenhouse was used last year for the first time in more than decade as an alternate learning space for FACS students, who frequently research and prepare healthy recipes during class as part of their curriculum.
“What started as a space to grow a few plants quickly became a hands-on learning center for students,” Brenner said.
As part of their FACS curriculum, seventh and eighth-grade students spend time in the greenhouse each week planting and tending to various herb and vegetable plants.
And for students like Claire, the greenhouse — and the homegrown produce it yields — is providing opportunities to step outside of comfort zones and learn how to grow, prepare and consume a variety of vegetables.
“I never thought I’d like vegetables,” Grenis said. “But watching them grow, learning how to cook them and understanding the impact they have on my health has made me want to eat them all the time now.”
One year later, the greenhouse, now chock full of blossoming tomato, pepper, spinach plants and more, has nearly doubled its offerings and is FACS students’ go-to place for recipe ingredients.
Brenner said having campus-grown produce accessible for classroom cooking lessons is convenient and helps reduce the amount of time and money she spends preparing for classes.
“So far this year, we’ve saved a couple hundred dollars on our grocery budget,” she said. “I’m also visiting the supermarket less frequently.”
The F-M middle school is working to incorporate the house into several classes and clubs, according to Brenner. In addition to FACS, science classes grow and experiment with crops inside the greenhouse and the technology department is researching building a hydroponic growing system that could farm the school’s plants without using soil.
During non-school hours and vacations, the greenhouse is managed by Kelly Wilcox, the school’s head custodian. Soil is donated by Doug Bauder, who operates Oak Brothers Landscaping, and contributions of plant seeds, tools and planters continue to roll in from community members.
“The greenhouse has a new life,” Brenner said. “So many people came together again this year to help maintain this endeavor.”
