Finding common ground at the FPC High School Garden in Florida
“Experimenting with sustainable food growing methods will also provide our students with a deeper understanding of why water and natural resource conservation is so important in ensuring a healthy and happy future.”
By Mimi Vreeland, MLA, Horticulture Extension Agent
News Journal
Dev 23, 2020
This article is Part Three of a 3-part series on community gardens.
Excerpts:
An under-utilized area of Flagler Palm Coast High School’s property is being given a new purpose. What had been a grassy field is now being transformed into a bountiful food garden, thanks to a couple of dedicated individuals. Andrew Medearis, a science teacher at the high school, and Jordan Butler, Director of the Flagler County Youth Center, worked hard together to make the garden a reality and a long-lasting opportunity for Flagler County’s teenagers to learn about growing food sustainably.
Half of the food produced will go to the school’s cafeteria and the other half will be donated to the Grace Community Food Pantry.
A solar panel has been installed to run the garden’s irrigation system and water will be delivered using a water-conserving drip-system. Both traditional and new specialty crops, including fruiting trees and shrubs, will be grown inside the garden’s perimeter. Once the garden is up and running in 2021, Flagler County Master Gardeners will be available to provide ongoing horticulture consultation and workshops for the students.
Medearis understands the long-term impact that this productive school garden will have on the local community, adding, “Experimenting with sustainable food growing methods will also provide our students with a deeper understanding of why water and natural resource conservation is so important in ensuring a healthy and happy future.”
This article is Part Three of a 3-part series on community gardens.
