Edgemont School Students Learn About Farming

White Plains, NY - Take a little imagination, a few essential tools and supplies and a classroom of eager schoolchildren – and the result can be a flourishing vegetable garden. 

 
That’s what seventh graders from a science class at Edgemont Jr.-Sr. High School in Greenburgh are hoping for. The young gardeners are among many Edgemont students who are participating in the new “Farm at Schools” program that is being introduced in districts throughout the county by Westchester County government. Edgemont was the first to sign-up. Since it was announced, more than 20 other schools have joined the bandwagon. 


The program was developed by the staff at Hilltop Hanover, a county-owned farm and environmental center in Yorktown Heights, as a way to give young people a chance to become involved in all aspects of growing and caring for a vegetable garden and learning about health and nutrition. 

As part of their garden, students will grow a row of vegetables for the hungry, which will be donated to a local food pantry. 

County Executive Andy Spano was on hand to help Edgemont school officials and students sow the first seeds and get the garden started. 

“A garden is a perfect setting for a classroom,” Spano said. “It’s a fun place for students to learn about farming and environmental sustainability and about health and nutrition. It can make many academic subjects, like math, economics, and science, more interesting too. Watching their garden grow also teaches kids patience and responsibility – lessons that don’t always come in a classroom.” 

Spano said the “Farm at Schools” program is an extension of the county’s BeFit Kids initiative, which encourages elementary and middle school children and their parents to eat healthy foods and exercise more, and is intended to help them have fun while they develop healthy habits. 

“Childhood obesity continues to be one of the greatest health challenges facing this country,” Spano said. “We are doing our part to find ways to encourage children to make better food choices to stop this growing epidemic.” 

Bringing the “Farm at Schools” program to Edgemont was first proposed to school officials by Dan Schuchat, social studies department chair. 

Schuchat said, “One of the exciting aspects of this garden is that it represents connections on many different levels. When students work in the garden they are connecting with the earth, and with each other in a way that transcends the classroom. Our hope is that the connection between the work in the garden and the food on our plates will foster a heightened sense of stewardship and responsibility throughout our community.” 

Edgemont plans to incorporate what they grow into school meals next fall and is also installing a composting bin in the school cafeteria to reinforce the concept of sustainability. 

“Schools should be places where our children can thrive and form healthy habits that will last throughout their lives,” Spano said. “Connecting children to the food system can make them more interested in learning and living a healthier lifestyle. They’ll also learn valuable lessons about protecting our planet.” 

The staff at Hilltop Hanover is helping schools design and plan out the garden taking space and budget into consideration and teaching them how to maintain and care for the garden. Schools have access to a website that details week-by-week planting and maintenance