In late 2011 , educators and community members in Durham , N.C. , begin brainstorm about how to best put 30 acre of fresh Durham Public School System land to work . sandwich between Eno Valley Elementary School and Carrington Middle School on the city ’s north side , it did n’t seem like another shoal campus was the practiced use of space . alternatively , with much planning and research , Durham Public Schools’Hub Farmlaunched in October 2012 .
Today , the Hub Farm is an outside studio apartment and science lab for teacher and student where academic and wellness - oriented initiatives are tested and sit . These include food that ’s grown and shared through DPS ’s Seed - to - Belly curriculum , various pedantic concepts taught in an applied setting , career - opportunity molding and a lot more . To keep the Hub Farm running , there are currently two part - fourth dimension farmer , a part - clock time project manager and a full - time Americorps overhaul appendage on staff , plus the input signal , effort and counseling of many teachers , administrator and residential area members .
While it ’s not uncommon for school to have minuscule garden programs , a school system with a 30 - Accho suburban farm is something different . UrbanFarmOnline.com visited the Hub Farm to find out about how their military operation works .
How did the Hub Farm begin?
Katherine Gill , Project Manager : The Hub Farm start as a seed from a few key hoi polloi . Heidi Carter , Chief Executive of the Board of Education , has long advocated for wellness initiative within the school day arrangement and visit the Great Kids Farm in Baltimore . She was inspired to see something like the Great Kids Farm happen within the Durham Public School System . Meanwhile , a PTA president , Sheldon Lennon , come near the school scheme about idea of what could be done with the 30 acres of land behind Eno Valley Elementary School . Rick Sheldahl , the director of DPS Career and Technical Education was demand , too , and he immediately hear potential for using the land site . A core group of the great unwashed who had all expressed sake in tidy - solid food and healthy - pupil go-ahead was formed .
I had been require various engaged DPS parent , as well as Heidi Carter , about projects going on relating to the use of out-of-door environments , shoal gardens and absorb bookman in hand - on learning . As a landscape painting designer , I got involved with this industrious chemical group to help alleviate a serial of community design charrettes and to formalize these ideas into a passkey plan .
My role has persist in as the project developer , managing director and designer . The continued commitment , documentation and initiative of Rick Sheldahl , who has spearhead and funded the initiative through DPS Career and Technical Education — as well as a great stave and a number of other incredibly passionate teacher , administrators , advisory - team extremity and residential area partners — has allowed the Hub Farm to grow and build its capability over the last three and half years .
The Hub Farm/Facebook
What opportunities are there for Durham Public School students to become involved with the Hub Farm, either in school or through extracurricular activities?
Melissa Keeney , AmeriCorps Project GEOS Service Member : The Hub Farm leave existential - learning opportunities to complement classroom learning at all age levels . Field trip are one channel for serving students at the Hub Farm . During these area trips , students of all ages are learning math , literacy , social scientific discipline , wellness and strong-arm education by explore horticulture , pond , forest and creek ecology . The three surrounding school — Eno Valley Elementary , Carrington Middle and Northern High School — have the opportunity to use the Hub Farm on a regular basis , which over sentence , will let the Hub Farm to more effectively provide long - terminal figure donnish outcomes . mellow - school students at Northern High School can take on longer - term , hands - on projects in almost all capable matters .
educatee are welcome to come to the farm anytime before or after schooltime to volunteer or just give ear out , which they do almost every day ! During the summer , we host DPS summertime - camp groups and other various students grouping throughout the Durham surface area . We also offer internship during the school year and summer to high - school student ; we had five summertime interns in 2015 . scholar can also volunteer at our monthly workday , which occur on the first Saturday of each calendar month and are open to anyone in the biotic community .
If I’m a Durham-area resident, what can I do to help the Hub Farm?
MK : We are always in motivation of some extra script to help out around the farm . We welcome single volunteers throughout the work week , 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. , except on Tuesdays . We also welcome all volunteers to come lend a handwriting at our monthly workdays , which come about on the first Saturday of each calendar month . In - form and monetary donations are greatly appreciated and are an of the essence part of keeping our farm growing .
I understand the Hub Farm is applying for nonprofit status. What will that change in designation do for the organization?
KG : The purpose of the non-profit-making , Friends of the Hub Farm , is to rear money and other resource to enter in and underpin the educational mission of the DPS Hub Farm . The DPS Hub Farm will continue to be a critical initiative within displaced person with the added benefit of have a nonprofit that advocates for and develops funding and partnership opportunity that will support the missionary station of the Hub Farm .
The Hub Farm is now 3 years old. What vision do you have for the next three years?
KG : Over the next three days , we desire the legal age of Durham Public School students to go through the Hub Farm , either through a field tripper or through programming and educational opportunities that Hub Farm stave can bring to case-by-case schools . Our mental ability should acquire so that we are able-bodied to strive for long - term academic and health success and more exhaustively allow for accession to healthy food and holistic learnedness opportunities for every educatee in the school system .
The Hub Farm hope to work more intimately with a phone number of other non-profit-making constitution that adjust with our foreign mission and to carry on to construct the Hub Farm ’s electrical capacity to serve more scholar at the Hub Farm and other schoolhouse throughout the system . We hope the Hub Farm will proceed to ease positive healthy and academic innovations and opportunities for students , teachers , administration and community members throughout Durham County .
For update on field trips , farm projection , event and workdays , and to find out how you’re able to get involved with Hub Farm , sign - up for their monthly newssheet . you’re able to also take through a week produce box through the farm ’s community - supported - agriculture political program . Email Hub Farm at dpshubfarm@gmail.com for additional selective information and to bless up .
The Hub Farm/Facebook
The Hub Farm/Facebook
