Teachers Gretchen Stapleton and Kelly Heath were awarded a $4,000 grant through the Anderson Education Foundation to develop a garden on site.
On Wednesday students from the two classes sampled fresh cherry tomatoes right off the vine.
Heath explained the space converted to the garden had just been a grassy area with some benches.
Last May with assistance from students, the two teachers used free mulch from the city of Anderson for the site and purchased planting boxes and tables.
“We planted the last week of school,” Heath said. “We watered the garden all summer.
“The students did all the work,” she said. “Next May the students will be planting again.”
Stapleton said the intention is to have a garden at the school every year and the plan is to apply for additional grant funds to expand the garden.
“Kids needed to be outside more,” she said, “particularly after COVID.
“The kids love to dig and see the results,” Stapleton said.
As the produce matures the students are provided with samples, and Stapleton baked zucchini muffins on Wednesday for the students.
“I don’t have a green thumb,” Stapleton said of the garden. “I would hope that other schools would create a garden.”
The plants include watermelon, cantaloupe, tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, carrots, pumpkins and gourds.
“We want to buy more boxes and tables,” Stapleton said of the plants for the next school year.
She said they learned that small plastic swimming pools make excellent growing beds for the produce.
This article appeared in The Herald Bulletin.