Tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, and lettuce. All of this produce can be seen at this very moment poking their little green leafy heads out of the soil in CHS’s brand new greenhouse, located right near the tennis courts. The greenhouse had its grand opening on Dec. 16, 2011 and since then, the plants have been growing steadily. The idea for the greenhouse came from Supervisor Karen Abowd, who wanted a better way to grow the flower baskets that hang on the street signs downtown, according to the greenhouse web site. The idea soon grew into a project consisting of a commercial-sized greenhouse, outdoor community gardens and trails, and paths through more than 60 planting beds. At the moment, only the green house has been completed. Construction on the outdoor components will begin in the spring.
“The lettuce will be finished growing in February. From then on we will be harvesting,” said Ray Saliga, the greenhouse manager. Ninety percent of the produce grown will go to local food banks or be sold in farmers markets. The other 10 percent will be used for the school’s culinary program. When complete, the greenhouse will be open to the public, and produce about 400 pounds of fruits and vegetables a month. That’s 4,500 pounds a year. Not only will this be of benefit to the community, but students will also be able to learn about growing produce in the new Plant Science class. Right now, the class is being taught by Steve Dilley, though it is unclear at the moment as to who will be teaching it next year.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for our students to learn about agriculture and horticulture. There’s been this comeback in growing things lately, so this could give students lots of career possibilities,” said Michele Lewis, dean. Lewis has been involved in this project from the very beginning, giving ideas and making sure everything runs smoothly. The greenhouse will be run by a full-time manager, part-time assistant manager, and mostly volunteers, according to Lewis and Saliga. There will also be a few paid positions for students who qualify for the free or reduced lunch programs, according to the web site. Not only that, but the Special Ed students will also be involved in maintaining the greenhouse. So far though, the only paid position has been filled by Saliga.
By Sophie Williams
