The Delta School District is venturing into the world of farming by giving students in Grades 10 through 12 the option to join the new Farm Roots Mini School.
The program will cover all aspects of farming – from growing fruits and vegetables to marketing and selling them.
Students who have registered for the mini school will actively farm an three hectare lot in Boundary Bay.
“We’ve been in normal school for 10 years,” Farm Roots student Grace Harkley said. “This is a change in the curriculum. We want to be part of the change.”
Farm Roots will be based out of the shuttered Boundary Beach Elementary School. The 30 students will alternate between attending Farm Roots classes and their regular school classes every other day.
“I think it will be a good change,” student Selena Lang said. “It will be something different than sitting behind a desk every day.”
Students will eventually take the products they grow to market, allowing them to learn about sales and marketing. Local farmers will act as advisers.
Katie Leek of Emma Lea Farms says the school will teach students valuable job skills.
“One in eight jobs in Canada are agriculture-related so taking this program and having this background would be beneficial for anybody,” she said.
Farm Roots is the first program of its kind in B.C. Those interested in registering can visit the Farm Roots Mini School website.
– With files from Catherine Urquhart