Grow Your Own Place-based Project Takes Root in Koshkonong, Missouri.
Another Ozarks Place-based project empowers students.
Koshkonong, Missouri students work with seedlings as part of the school's Grow Your Own project.
The Community Foundation of the Ozarks' Rural Schools Partnership awarded Koshkonong (MO) Schools FFA and John Doss $4,000 for their Grow Your Own project. The project aims to provide students with an opportunity to think outside the box and be exposed to alternative ways to be involved with agriculture. Students will develop a school garden with high schoolers mentoring 3rd and 4th graders in planting vegetables and flowers. Ultimately, the students will develop a roadside stand for selling their produce. Agricultural careers will be explored including agricultural tourism.
Dr. Jane Ward, Rural Schools Collaborative Rural Education Fellow and Missouri State University-West Plains faculty member, has provided the following project update:
The Koshkonong Grow Your Own Project is in full spring mode. Bedding plants are looking great and students will soon have them available for sell. They will also begin growing vegetables and flowers for the roadside stand. The raised gardens have become a popular item. Building and selling raised gardens has been an unexpected benefit of the project. The group recently meet with an advisory committee to explore marketing options.
Project funding was provided by the Community Foundation of the Ozark’s Rural Schools Partnership, Louis L. Coover and Julia Dorothy Coover Charitable Foundation of Commerce Trust, and Rural Conservation Fund. This grantmaking program is the flagship component of the Rural Schools Collaborative cooperative Grants in Place effort.
Below: Koshkonong students stay busy in Koshkonong's Grow Your Own greenhouse.
For more information on the value of place-based learning, click here.