Chicago Park Elementary – Big dreams for the school farm

Chicago Park, Calif. May 25, 2024 – What if an old ball field could become a school garden, expand to include a chicken mansion, a greenhouse, a bug hotel and eventually a farmstand? That is exactly what is happening at Chicago Park Elementary School where Principal Katie Kohler and Sierra Harvest School Garden Educator Lauren Valentino embarked on the journey to provide fresh food for the students and so much more.

It’s looking like a real farm already

Earlier this month, we visited the school to see how the farm was coming along. Our intern Bird Cameron was amazed at the project and conducted the interviews with Principal Kohler and Farmer Lauren.

A big garden for little students

Earlier this year, when Principal Kohler told us, “We added a half-acre farm to our school this year with a 14′ by 30′ greenhouse,” we went to take a look. In March, the garden was sporting a cover crop, the greenhouse was filled with new starts the students had grown from seeds and classes were already underway in the garden.

‘Farmer Lauren’ and ‘Miss Kohler’ gave this reporter the grand tour and talked about their plans. The chicken coop was still near the small previous garden. Those raised beds are now available to the charter school next door. The toolshed, next to ‘the hill,’ had some tools waiting for the students and fruit trees had been planted, with every grade participating.

Lauren Valentino’s official title is Sierra Harvest School Garden Educator, but the kids think Farmer Lauren is a rock star. Walking to the garden during recess, students swarm her to talk about how much they like kale! Sierra Harvest’s Farm to School program provides fresh produce and nutrition education to 96% of K-8 students in Western Nevada County.

Principal Kohler says the farm is a great environment for the students to learn. “They learn work ethic, work on math skills, science skills, even history.”

Earlier this month, a plant sale attracted a crowd of parents and neighbors. The proceeds will be used to acquire equipment for the farm garden and expand the farm to include a farmstand. But you don’t have to wait until harvest season, the chicken mansion’s resident hens are very productive and for a $5 donation to the school, you can get a dozen eggs.

Involving the whole community

Kohler wants the whole community involved in the project, creating a blueprint for other schools. “I think every school needs a farm!” The Elementary School’s farm program can open up career paths in agriculture, horticulture, farming or environmental science. “Wouldn’t it be great if the students get their education and return to the area to work and create a resilient, local food economy?” Kohler asked.

A wishlist

Farmer Lauren would be happy to share her skills with volunteers at the farm in exchange for some helping hands with planting, weeding and harvesting. Contact Laurenv@sierraharvest.org for more information, or if you can help with their wish list below.

If you have any of the above, or want to volunteer, please contact Farmer Lauren and help the students and the farm to keep growing. Monetary donations are also gratefully accepted via the PTA.