Finding fresh, nutritious food in a food desert can be difficult. Growing Together Education works with communities of schools all over the country to develop interactive and academically rigorous environmental programs. They work with district representatives and teachers as well as staff to create and build out classrooms, develop curriculum and provide teacher training.
GTE recently partnered with Bellflower USD to help them learn more about sustainable food production and to also supply this food to schools throughout the district. This learning is done primarily in a rooftop greenhouse and farm. “We are a month into harvesting 500 heads of lettuce a week for their Food Services Dept and salad bars across the district,” said Paul Hudak. “This work is all being done in a converted storage container unit through hydroponics at Bellflower High School and on the rooftop farm and greenhouse at Mayfair High School (both in the Bellflower Unified School District).”
Bellflower USD has a progressive approach to urban farming and environmental sciences, combining both educational and public-health goals.
