The idea of a school garden at All Saints Catholic Academy in Morrisville grew out of a desire to celebrate the school’s “outstanding” food service program, nurture students’ understanding of the importance of healthy eating and simply have fun growing vegetables and herbs.

Last year was the first year for the garden, planted by students and staff along the edge of the new outside eating area.

“In the fall of 2022 we finished construction on our multi-purpose room renovation and kitchen addition. Part of this construction project was to include an outdoor patio with picnic tables where students could enjoy lunch outside and also a built-in garden space,” explained Jennifer Nordenson, vice principal/director of enrollment and marketing. “It was the dream of our awesome kitchen crew to utilize this garden space to grow food and herbs that could be used in our school meals program.”

The choice of what to plant in the spring of 2023 was deliberate: nothing that would have to be harvested earlier in the season when school was out for summer vacation. But when they returned in August, students saw the fruit of their June planting labor: tomatoes, eggplant, cucumbers, green peppers and lots of herbs like basil, rosemary, parsley, oregano, thyme, and sage. There were plenty of sunflowers too. Students painted rocks to line the edge of the garden.

Nordenson and Heather Gentle, director of food services, occasionally checked the garden in the summer, but Mother Nature did a good job watering it. Some of the basil was harvested and frozen for use during the school year in pesto, soups, or sauces.

“Beautiful” donated soil made the garden beds, Gentle said. No fertilizers or pesticides were used.

She estimated the garden saved about $200 in the food service budget.

Jacob Atwood, a sixth grader from Morrisville who has experience in the garden at home, took charge of ridding the tomato plants of hornworms, a job no one else wanted. He likes to garden and finds is satisfying to put the work into the garden and then “eat your work.”

He said local food tastes better. “God lets the plants grow; God is gifting you your garden,” he added.

 Getting students involved in growing the food they eat helps them take pride and responsibility for the food, said Head of School Carrie Wilson. It also helps them develop healthy eating habits, sets them up for good nutrition as adults, and exposes them to sustainable living.

And once the garden is planted and “you do everything you can do, then it’s in God’s hands,” Nordenson said.

— Originally published in the Summer 2024 issue of  Vermont Catholic magazine.