Within the past few months, York High students who frequent the cafeteria have likely sighted the porous white barrel on wheels that has appeared beside the lunch trays. This is a Flex Farm™ , an interior gardening installation introduced into the commons as one in a series of sustainability ventures being undertaken by the kitchen staff and the broader district.
The executive of York High School’s farm-to-table department, Kate Chaisson, reports its origin story: district nutrition director Whitney Thornton first observed existing successes of the initiative across other schools and predicted it would be advantageous for our local, brief farming season. She thereafter secured the first Flex Farm for the middle school in 2023 with grant funding. It was very prolific, generating fresh salad ingredients, herbs and garnishes, and greenhouse plants. Thus, additional grant-funded Flex Farms were acquired in 2024 for the commons as well as the VES STEAM classroom.
In terms of the Farm’s contents and distribution, Chaisson explains, “We primarily grow various varieties of lettuce in the Flex Farms, as it is a fast-growing, adaptable crop that thrives in controlled environments and yields high amounts. The lettuce is mainly used within our school cafeterias, but we share surplus with other schools when needed.” She touts that an abundance of over 25 pounds of plant matter can be produced within 28 days. This is by virtue of two innovative technologies that the system features: hydroponics and vertical farming…