Students grow food for the food bank

By Laura Bohnert

Students at Onoway Elementary are learning about the importance of food accessibility a little differently this year.

Grade One students from Onoway Elementary School (OES) began a new project in community awareness: growing food. The students began planting vegetables on May 20 at Homestead Hearth. Once harvested, the vegetables will be donated to the Lac Ste. Anne East Food Bank.

The decision to plant, maintain, and harvest vegetables was decided on by the students who were looking for a project that would enable them to learn about and contribute to the vitality of their community.

The project will enable the students to learn about food growth cycles, the importance of food availability to the vitality of a community, and the importance of contributing to the community in a hands-on manner. Not only will they be able to participate in the full growth cycle of their vegetables — from planting to harvest — but they will also be able to take part in contributing to their community by donating the vegetables to the food bank where they will benefit local people who are in need within their own community.

The students, along with volunteers, have planted and will continue to care for potatoes, carrots, pumpkins, squash, onions, beets, and rutabaga. The vegetables will remain pesticide-free and will be cultivated and weeded by hand to enable the students to learn about and be mindful of the environmental implications of farming as well as their carbon footprint.

On May 20, the students also received the opportunity to learn about the needs of farm animals including goats, sheep, llamas, chickens, rabbits — and even a cat and her kittens — while visiting the farm and, also, were able to participate in a nature walk.

Local farm space at Homestead Hearth was donated to the group by the Pipkin family, and the Innovative Project grant, offered by the Board of Northern Gateway Public Schools covered the cost of seeds and other gardening materials.