The ND FFA Foundation is dedicated to providing opportunities that foster leadership development and personal growth for FFA members across the state. It’s the core of our mission! Did you know the Foundation also provides resources for ag educators and others in the agriculture sector whose work aligns with our mission?
The Ag in the Classroom grant program is offered in partnership with the North Dakota Department of Agriculture. Each year, any organization or individual may apply to receive funding for developing and conducting educational materials and programs to help young people understand the importance of agriculture in North Dakota and in their lives. Check out how one Rugby Public School teacher integrated agriculture into her classroom.
Program: Rugby Public School
Impact: 20 4th graders and their families
Purpose: The grow towers were utilized to showcase that a nominal amount of plants can produce food. The project aimed to address the widespread lack of understanding about the food system, emphasizing that food originates on farms before reaching grocery stores through the efforts of hardworking people.
Objectives:
- Introduce students to the experience of growing and using fresh, homegrown ingredients in their meals.
- Educate students on the structure of plants, their life cycle, and the various stages of growth.
- Instruct students on the proper care and maintenance of grow towers to ensure healthy plant growth.
- Provide students with the opportunity to taste and enjoy the produce they have grown in the classroom.
- Introduce students to a range of herbs and vegetables, encouraging them to taste and learn about their culinary uses.
- Motivate students to share what they’ve learned about gardening and food production with their families, fostering a deeper community understanding of agriculture.
- Teach students the fundamentals of hydroponic growing systems, showcasing an alternative method of food production.
This year, Kristen Heilman from the Rugby Public School received grant funding from the ND FFA Foundation Ag in the Classroom Program to purchase a grow tower for her classroom, supplemented by sponsorship funds from local Rugby Ag businesses (Gooseneck, Envision, and Heart of America Ag Services). The grow tower and seedlings were purchased from lettucegrow.com, and the project began on December 4th, 2023.
The primary goal of the grow tower was to help students understand where their food comes from and demonstrate that plants can be grown in various settings with ease. Students learned about plant anatomy, growth requirements, the role of pollinators, and hydroponics. The project aimed to address the widespread lack of understanding about the food system, emphasizing that food originates on farms before reaching grocery stores through the efforts of hardworking individuals.
Students were encouraged to grow their own food at home and add healthy options to their diets. Over the course of the project, they harvested and took home salads five times.
The project yielded numerous positive experiences, including some unintentional benefits. The calming sound of running water from the grow tower created a soothing classroom environment, with students expressing their appreciation for it. Additionally, students were introduced to and enjoyed trying new foods like herbs (cilantro, parsley, oregano, and thyme) and requested to experiment with other foods. The class made homemade sauerkraut, rainbow carrots, pickles, and pickled garlic, which they might not have tried without the encouragement provided by the grow tower project.
Kristen shares here classroom story with KFYR TV, to watch her interview click here.
