While the first winter storm of the season plunged temperatures into the low teens, inside Cleveland’s new greenhouse, where it was a comfortable 70° F, lettuce, kale and basil seeds were just beginning to sprout.
Planted by the Introduction to Agriculture class, the leafy greens were the first crops ever grown in the new conservatory, which was completed this fall.
The freshmen are comparing the results when nurturing the plants the traditional way versus cultivating them aeroponically, where seeds are “planted” in mineral fiber and are nourished with nutrient-laden mist.
“We’re measuring all inputs,” said agriculture teacher Kelly Susa. “We’re measuring plant growth, water use, soil use and mineral use. The students will track that data, analyze it, and draw conclusions and be able to say if growing aeroponically is truly more efficient.
Two-year project
The idea to build a greenhouse at Cleveland school germinated back in the fall of 2020 when the school’s career and technical education (CTE) teachers received communication about state grant money earmarked for CTE programs in South Central Minnesota.
“We decided to shoot for the moon, and I wrote a grant proposal for the greenhouse and a storage shed,” Susa said.
The total amount of the grant was around $80,000. Susa also applied for an additional grant for around $13,000 for supplies and benches for the greenhouse and for three aeroponic growing towers to be used inside.
Susa’s request was approved in December of 2020, and the project set in motion.
“I got quotes from different greenhouse companies and construction crews, traveled around to neighboring schools that had greenhouses to check them out, worked with administration and the school board to find a location and finally decided on a vendor and ordered the greenhouse.”
They settled on a 48-feet long by 24-feet wide structure to be located on the northwest corner of school property. It is temperature controlled with a heater, fans and outlet shutters. There is also an automatic growlight system and regular lighting. There is a water spigot inside, but all watering is done by hand.
The actual ordering and delivery of the greenhouse kit took the longest, Susa said. It was ordered it in the spring of 2021, deliveries started to arrive in the fall of 2021, and final parts didn’t come in until summer of 2022.
“I need to mention and thank (school custodian) George Ploog, who was always around to receive shipments and coordinated the construction of the greenhouse and storage shed once things got underway,” she said.
Local vendors were involved in construction. Schmidt Concrete and Masonry poured the foundation. Schabert Construction, which donated some of its labor, put up the kit, and Ploog Electric wired the building.
Produce will supplement school lunches
Upon harvest, the first crop of greens will eventually be turned over to the cafeteria staff. But growing food for the school in their indoor and outdoor gardens has something that Susa and company had already put in place.
“Last year, the aeroponic towers were in my classroom, and we grew lettuce that the kitchen used in the salad bar. We also currently bring a lot of our garden produce in the fall to the kitchen staff for them to use. We hope to be able to do more of this with the greenhouse, like starting vegetables for our school garden as well as growing flowering plants to sell in an annual spring plant sale during the school year, even in the coldest months.”
While the freshman inaugurated the greenhouse, next semester, Rebecca Herberg will teach a horticultural class that Susa expects will be held regularly in the greenhouse as well.
“We hope to incorporate the greenhouse in our ag business and introductory ag glasses across the board.”
Learning by doing
Susa said there is no better way to educate than by doing.
“I think if you asked any student, he or she would agree. Hands-on education helps enforce concepts across the board. Agriculture is literally applied science, and by having students out there doing these kinds of activities, science and math concepts are reinforced.”
No matter what field students choose, working in the greenhouse will also prepare them for life after high school, she said.
“They have to work in teams, follow through with their tasks, and some are tasked with leadership and managerial roles, all which better prepare them for the world of work.”
Eventually, the greenhouse will be entirely student operated, Susa said. Senior Katie Cink plans to grow flowers in the greenhouse for her supervised agriculture experience (SAE) project. With prior experience working in a greenhouse, she will also be its manger.
“We will have students making the decisions on what is grown and when, and they will also do all of the care, planting, harvesting, and selling of the plants,” Susa said.
While appropriate light and feeding are needed for plants to thrive in the greenhouse, the agriculture department required nurturing inputs as well, Susa said, and she is appreciative of them.
“I am grateful to work with the kind of administration and school board that isn’t afraid to say ‘yes,’ no matter how crazy the idea is. Their attitudes and willingness to allow the ag program to grow and flourish are doing really good things for the students at CHS, and the greenhouse will teach so many students skills above and beyond what could ever be achieved in a traditional classroom.”
Above: Freshmen Sierra McCabe, Samantha Baker, Isabel Duron and Mickayla Janzen transfer sprouts from rock wool to soil.
Freshmen Gavin Karels, Mason Kluntz and Judd Gibbs compare sprouts grown on soil versus those on rock wool, a stone-based mineral fiber. The latter will be transferred to the greenhouse’s aeroponic towers.
Ag teacher Kelly Susa discusses filling the aeroponic towers with freshman Carter Kern.
Katie Cink remembers being introduced to horticulture as a child when she hung with her mom in the family’s garden. Much of her senior year will be centered around the greenhouse as she plans to grow flowers there for her supervised agriculture experience (SAE) project. With prior experience working in a greenhouse, she will also be its manger.
Ninth grader Mollie Bowman adds water to one of the greenhouse’s aeroponic towers.