Students aren’t the only thing growing in several Fox Valley schools this year. Appleton, Freedom, Kaukauna and Little Chute are now producing their own leafy greens.
Appleton East High School is just one of four local schools to receive flex farms from Fork Farms. The indoor vertical hydroponic growing systems were funded by a donation from East Wisconsin Savings Bank. “Being able to partner with the schools is just an added bonus for us because it just spreads the knowledge and the learning experience to so many more people.”
The flex farms can grow up to 30 pounds of leafy greens a week. Some of those greens are being incorporated into school meals for those in class, others are being boxed up and given away through the Appleton school district’s food program. The growing of greens expands an already successful gardening program at East High School.