School lunches at Oregon-Davis may soon include fresh vegetables grown in the high school’s greenhouse. Agriculture Teacher and FFA Adviser Andrew Carlin told the school board last week that the greenhouse was started last spring, thanks to a grant the school received.
He said the greenhouse garden got off to a slow start, failing to produce any vegetables over the summer. But progress has been better since students returned to class in August, and the greenhouse is now producing vegetables pretty regularly. Carlin hopes to be able to start supplying fresh vegetables to the school cafeterias and maybe even some food banks soon. The garden is overseen by students in the high school’s Plants and Soil Science and Natural Resource Management classes.
The update came during a report on O-D’s FFA chapter. Carlin told the school board that expansion has been the theme of the school year so far. He said FFA members had already competed in two career development events as of last week, whereas in past years, they’d still be preparing for the first one. Members were also lined up to take part in at least four more.
FFA members have traditionally been in the Yellowstone Trail Festival Parade each August, according to Carlin, but during this year’s festival, they also hosted a hog roast dinner and a petting zoo.
Carlin also reviewed last month’s National FFA Convention in Indianapolis. He said students got to sit in on different general sessions and had the chance to see Garth Brooks perform.
