Healthy Harvest of North Iowa (HHNI) has received a competitive grant from Tower Garden®, securing two vertical aeroponic growing systems that will deepen hands‑on farm to school programming in North Iowa. The equipment is already at work in John Adams Middle School’s Beyond the Bell after‑school program, where students are learning every step of the growing cycle from seed to plate.
The towers, delivered in early March, were assembled by students who also set the timers for the lights and pumps before starting seeds. Three afternoons each week they mix mineral nutrients, test water pH, and transplant seedlings once they reach three inches in height. Classroom science lessons now include real‑time observation of crops such as lettuce, herbs, snap peas, tomatoes, peppers, catnip, nasturtium, and kale.
“The students are amazed at how fast things are growing,” said Marie Morud, HHNI Farm to School Coordinator. “They are already planning a salsa party before the school year ends, using tomatoes and peppers they grew themselves. Seeing that excitement is exactly why farm to school education matters.”
Interest has spread throughout the building and the community, and the they are exploring a summer placement for one of the units. HHNI will work with additional schools and community organizations to expand the project, giving more youth the chance to connect classroom science with real food production.
