Greenhouse about to sprout

Published on April 21st, 2010

By TAMMY JUDD

Grant money awarded last year to the Chief Ivan Blunka School in New Stuyahok will help sprout some fresh veggies for the community this fall.

The $15,000 "Love Your Veggies" grant is being used to launch the "Naunerrlut Enit" Greenhouse Project. The grant is sponsored by a partnership of Hidden Valley Salad Dressings and School Nutrition Foundation and supported by Produce for Better Health Foundation.

"The purpose of the greenhouse is to provide organic vegetables for the community and school lunch program," said Minty Ruthford, a teacher at the school.

Ruthford, who has worked for the Southwest Region School District school for 16 years, came up with the idea from her kindergarten students.

"We were studying a unit on plants. We had the shop teacher make us a huge potting planter. The kids painted it and we planted our seeds," she said.

Her students were curious about growing more plants in a bigger house. In the process of searching the Internet she came across the Valley Ranch Love Your Veggies grant. She applied and it was awarded.

The greenhouse she wanted, though, cost more than the $15,000 grant. She applied for additional funding from Rasmuson Foundation and received a grant of $21,228, enough to cover shipping costs, hidden costs for extra materials to construct the greenhouse, and the purchase of materials to build raised beds, soil to fill the beds, seeds and gardening tools. Some of the Rasmuson funds will be saved for future expenses of running the greenhouse, Ruthford said.

Ruthford purchased a 33-foot greenhouse - a geodesic dome with solar energy, a water tank and water fall. The greenhouse arrived last fall but there was not enough time to put it together before winter.

So the community will construct the greenhouse this summer.

With another financial boost, this time from the TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) program, Ruthford was able to hire Richard Miller, a professional from Growing Spaces, to come to New Stuyahok June 1-10 to assist in the construction of the greenhouse, ensuring the greenhouse is put together properly.

Once the greenhouse is constructed Ruthford said the community will get started right away.

"This summer the community will be involved in growing simple veggies such as tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, squash, radish, onions, carrots and strawberries. Ruthford said. "We have a large lot next to the greenhouse where we will be growing potatoes, cabbage, broccoli and asparagus."

When school starts in the fall, produce from the garden will be provided to the school cafeteria to make healthy meals for the elderly school cafeteria program and students of the school.

And, the greenhouse will become a learning environment for the students. From kindergarten to grade 12, students will gain hands-on experience in the greenhouse as the faculty integrates it into their teaching curriculum.

Staff members Wendy Anderson and Kyle Casper will be in charge of supervising and managing the greenhouse, Ruthford said.

"Wendy Anderson has a master's in horticulture and Kyle Casper has a bachelor of science in science education," she said. "Ms. Anderson and Mr. Kyle will be engaging students in the exploration of concepts such as plant biology, ecology, conservation and habitat. The greenhouse will become a natural extension of the classroom laboratory engaging students in many projects."