Sussex Academy school garden yields 54 pounds of produce

Sussex Academy elementary students celebrated a bountiful spring and early summer season in their school garden. Classmates and volunteers harvested and tasted over 54 pounds of fresh, student-grown produce. 

Garden coordinator and teacher Don Ott said the yield included a vibrant mix of Swiss chard, spinach, lettuce, radishes, sugar snap peas, carrots, cucumbers, green peppers, cherry tomatoes and the crowd favorite, shishito peppers.

Throughout the gardening season, the space served as an outdoor classroom, providing students with hands-on lessons in agriculture, nutrition and sustainability. 

Students had the unique opportunity to taste the fruits of their labor through a variety of delicious, healthy preparations. Culinary experiences included sampling orange-glazed carrots, creating fresh salads and enjoying blistered shishito peppers. 

Most recently, students participating in summer camp learned how to make fresh garden salsa with volunteer Kevin Warr, using produce harvested directly from the Sussex Academy elementary garden.

The success of the garden program is a testament to strong community collaboration, Ott said. 

“The school extends its sincere gratitude to several key partners,” Ott said. “Blessings Greenhouses & Composting Facility Inc. generously donated a truckload of mulch, essential for maintaining the garden paths. Coast of Maine contributed 10 bags of their premium Raised Bed Mix to supplement the soil for the summer growing season, a transfer facilitated with help from Best Ace Hardware of Milton.” 

The program also benefits from the unwavering guidance of Healthy Foods for Healthy Kids, whose continued support is vital in empowering young gardeners and providing nutritious options for students, Ott said.

Dedicated volunteers are the backbone of the garden, Ott said, noting Joan Caputo volunteers weekly throughout the school year, assisting tirelessly in both the classroom and the garden, and Kevin Warr shared his culinary expertise with the summer camp students.

"The garden would not be possible without the incredible, ongoing support from our community and the generous donations of needed items from our parents throughout the school year," Ott said. "It's a powerful experience for students to plant a seed, nurture its growth and finally taste the healthy food they helped produce."

The Sussex Academy elementary garden continues to be a source of pride, education and healthy eating for the entire school community, he said.