Tower Gardens aim to bring nutrition and gardening to the BKW campus

BKW students hard at work planting various herbs and vegetables into their Tower Gardens on Monday, March 13.
BKW students hard at work planting various herbs and vegetables into their Tower Gardens on Monday, March 13.

Recently, the BKW district received a Grow with Us Grant from the New York Agriculture in the Classroom to obtain three Tower Gardens. The towers will be stationed in various areas of the school campus and are being overseen by the Ag Pals Club (grades 3-5), which is run by Dr. Emmerich and Ms. Keyser.

The purpose of the towers is to allow for the growth of various herbs and vegetables. Students will receive a hands-on gardening experience, learn about natural resources, and find out about the different and unique ways to grow produce. In addition, the Ag Pals Club will offer the products they grow in the coming weeks for students to enjoy in the cafeteria. A win-win for the entire campus community!

What exactly is a Tower Garden?

It’s a pretty simple process that takes a traditional planting option and makes it vertical. Tower Gardens utilize an aeroponic growing system that allows you to grow up to 20 vegetables, herbs, fruits, and flowers in less than three square feet—indoors or out. Instead of utilizing soil, Tower Gardens grow plants with only water and nutrients.

Stay tuned as we chart their progress and see what is shared on our cafeteria menus in the coming weeks!