Crossroads School & Vocational Center has developed an all-encompassing “Victory Garden” project. There are several raised garden beds, straw bale garden beds, and a “hoop” garden (that serves as s mini-greenhouse), all located within the boundaries of a light wire fence. There is also a greenhouse on-site for year-round use. The gardens are used to provide students with hands-on learning experiences and to help meet state education standards. A wide variety of vegetables and flowers are produced and there is a nutrition educator from the University of Minnesota who comes onsite to cook with students using garden produce. Funding is from several sources and there is strong support from parents and the community including the Anoka County Master Gardener program. Because of the success of the current garden, there are plans in place to expand the garden project next year.

For more information contact david.berger@isd15.org.