Grand View Public School

About our Garden

Please describe your garden, is it raised beds, in the ground, do you have a greenhouse?

We are currently in the process of building a greenhouse for our school. An agriculture student, Noah, has teamed up with a carpentry student, Maria for this project. The idea is that the agriculture students will grow produce for our breakfast and lunch program as well as for our culinary classes. Extra food can be provided to either the local food bank or to send home with students in our school.

What vegetables/fruit do you grow in your garden? What do you have a difficult time growing in your school garden?

We are just in the beginning stages but the plan is for a variety of vegetables and herbs.

Why did your school decide to add a school garden?

Originally we planned on installing a hydroponic tower garden in our school when we first applied for the grant. Our students in the Essential Skills Program identified a need for fresh grown produce in our school as we have a large population of students who deal with food insecurities. As part of their Capstone projects, the two students decided to combine their skills and work together to get the project off the ground. With permission from Nutrients for Life, we did a pivot from the original plan to creating the current greenhouse project.

What classes participate in the garden, what subjects are taught in the garden?

The Essential Skills students are doing the building and initial set-up. The agriculture class will be involved in the on-going growing as well as younger grades will be invited in to help grow produce and engage in some learning experiences tied into the growing process.

Who manages the garden day to day? Who manages the garden over the Summer break?

Our student, Noah, will take the lead on the initial management and local volunteers will help manage the garden over the summer. In the fall, the agriculture teacher will then, with their class, take over the management of the greenhouse.

What do you do with the harvest from your garden? Do you have a harvest celebration? Do you use it in the cafeteria, or culinary classes? Do you donate some of the produce?

We have not grown any produce as of yet.

Do you have community involvement? Do you have parents and volunteers? Have been able to source other funding to help your garden grow?

We are looking at some private funding partnerships to assist with the further funds we need and we have one benefactor thus far. Fundraising efforts will be undertaken if necessary. Volunteers will be sought out as well, once the greenhouse is completed.

What are your future plans for the school garden?

To grow produce for breakfast and lunch programs, to provide for the culinary class and to have classes use the garden to support their curriculum

Any words of encouragement/tips for a school starting a school garden?

We are just starting this project, but it certainly generates a lot of interest of offers of help.

About our Garden

Please describe your garden, is it raised beds, in the ground, do you have a greenhouse?

We have a small greenhouse, raised beds, potato beds, a mud kitchen and a composter.

What vegetables/fruit do you grow in your garden? What do you have a difficult time growing in your school garden?

Cucumber, squash, potatoes, peas, butterfly garden, garlic, kale, raspberries, strawberries.
We have a hard time growing things that need a lot of sunny weather and warmer temperatures.

Why did your school decide to add a school garden?

We were hoping to increase land based learning opportunities and experiential learning with activities in the garden. Seeing that you can tie so many curriculum components into garden projects, it was a great way to work on increasing food literacy in our school.

What classes participate in the garden, what subjects are taught in the garden?

Mainly kindergarteners participate in the garden at Conrad. Lessons are tied in to science, observational skills, literacy (stories about food), hands on learning with cooking lessons, lessons about community (social studies) etc...

Who manages the garden day to day? Who manages the garden over the Summer break?

Our two kindergarten teachers mainly manage the gardens day to day. In combination with the District Food Coordinator, the garden gets managed over the summer break.

What do you do with the harvest from your garden? Do you have a harvest celebration? Do you use it in the cafeteria, or culinary classes? Do you donate some of the produce?

We did not have enough produce to donate any. The class harvested the potatoes and made hashbrowns for a snack one day. The peas were harvested and preserved for use in another school meal.

Do you have community involvement? Do you have parents and volunteers? Have been able to source other funding to help your garden grow?

We do have other funders that have supported the garden in the past. As for parents and volunteers, we haven't been very successful at recruiting consistent volunteers for our garden. The hope in the future is that the garden can be involved in community programming run in collaboration with the city's civic recreation programming.

What are your future plans for the school garden?

We hope to continue to use it as a teaching and learning space. Ultimately, I would love to see the garden become more productive and be able to integrate some of the produce into the meals programs.

Any words of encouragement/tips for a school starting a school garden?

Keep at it! Have a long term vision that doesn't need to happen right away, but that can be built upon one step at a time.

About our Garden

Please describe your garden, is it raised beds, in the ground, do you have a greenhouse?

Our garden consists of 5 raised beds that we use for food production, and a native garden with another two raised beds.

What vegetables/fruit do you grow in your garden? What do you have a difficult time growing in your school garden?

Last school year we had seedlings which included sugar snap peas, kohlrabi, kale, mixed lettuces (red and green).
We also directly sowed some basil, dill, beans and corn.

Why did your school decide to add a school garden?

We added a School Garden Program to connect children to their local food systems, classmates, the natural world and the community.
Students in the program learn through inquiry, teamwork, communication and observation, building empathy for all the creatures in the garden and developing basic gardening skills with hands-on work.
Lesson themes focus on indigenous perspectives, seasonal cycles, ecosystems, native flora and fauna, soil science, pollination, the life cycle of plants, seed germination and beneficial insects and pests.

What classes participate in the garden, what subjects are taught in the garden?

Classes from kindergarten to grade 6. Science is taught in the garden

Who manages the garden day to day? Who manages the garden over the Summer break?

Teachers manage the garden day today and during the summer it is managed by members of the community

What do you do with the harvest from your garden? Do you have a harvest celebration? Do you use it in the cafeteria, or culinary classes? Do you donate some of the produce?

With the harvest, we share it amongst the students in different forms. Sometimes there is a celebration where the food is shared and other times it is used for teaching.

Do you have community involvement? Do you have parents and volunteers? Have been able to source other funding to help your garden grow?

We work with SPEC, The Society Promoting Environmental Conservation, to manage and continue the garden as a community space and as a teaching space.

What are your future plans for the school garden?

We will continue to work with SPEC, The Society Promoting Environmental Conservation to provide lessons to students and to continue the stewardship of our gardens.

Any words of encouragement/tips for a school starting a school garden?

Start small... dream big!

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About our Garden

Please describe your garden, is it raised beds, in the ground, do you have a greenhouse?

We made a green bean tipi project in our court yard- unfortunately with a short growing season we did not harvest any beans, We have purchased some other seeds to use in 2025 in classroom growing and plant life cycle.

What vegetables/fruit do you grow in your garden? What do you have a difficult time growing in your school garden?

Green beans- but it did not harvest any food - summer when away we had people water but when returned Sept. did not grow enough

Why did your school decide to add a school garden?

We are Indigenous and wanted to show how to live off the land and respect the land - we used the supplies and money to buy garden supplies and show kids how to work with mother earth

What classes participate in the garden, what subjects are taught in the garden?

We did writing and science lessons - and tracked the hieght of the stems - but once really started growing the school year was done - but frost in the ground so starting earlier wasn't going to work - we possible needed a growing tree- we do have a green house though and with the money left purchased various seeds for 2025

Who manages the garden day to day? Who manages the garden over the Summer break?

We had EA;s but it was neglected over summer

What do you do with the harvest from your garden? Do you have a harvest celebration? Do you use it in the cafeteria, or culinary classes? Do you donate some of the produce?

We planned to have one in Sept.- but the beans did not produce any food

Do you have community involvement? Do you have parents and volunteers? Have been able to source other funding to help your garden grow?

No

What are your future plans for the school garden?

To try various seeds in class 2025 find what grows faster

Any words of encouragement/tips for a school starting a school garden?

Difficult far northern communities

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About our Garden

Please describe your garden, is it raised beds, in the ground, do you have a greenhouse?

Raised beds

What vegetables/fruit do you grow in your garden? What do you have a difficult time growing in your school garden?

Strawberries, tomatoes, herbs, teas, traditional medicines, including tobacco, sage and sweetgrass.

Why did your school decide to add a school garden?

To get students outdoors, having hands on experiences.

What classes participate in the garden, what subjects are taught in the garden?

Science, Social Studies, Language Arts, Math, Art

Who manages the garden day to day? Who manages the garden over the Summer break?

Students, teachers, summer programs.

What do you do with the harvest from your garden? Do you have a harvest celebration? Do you use it in the cafeteria, or culinary classes? Do you donate some of the produce?

As of right now we don't harvest a lot. We use the Sage for smudging and tobacco for offering to elders and to the land.

Do you have community involvement? Do you have parents and volunteers? Have been able to source other funding to help your garden grow?

We are having more and more community involvement. Last year we had 10 students and one parent coming out through the summer. We also received a Roots and Shoots grant.

What are your future plans for the school garden?

We would like to grow more foods for out school breakfast and lunch programs.

Any words of encouragement/tips for a school starting a school garden?

You don't need experience to start. Just go dig in the dirt and get started! Don't be afraid to get dirty. Make sure your custodian is on your team!