Bramlett students learn about food, gardening during National Farm to School Month

Published 11:31 am Saturday, October 25, 2025

In recognition of National Farm to School Month, students at Bramlett Elementary School participated in a series of hands-on learning experiences focused on exploring where food comes from and what it takes to help plants grow.

The project was led by Jeannette Clements, Oxford School District Assistant Director of Child Nutrition, in collaboration with Kerri Greene, Bramlett Elementary School’s computer science teacher. Together, they guided students through activities that explored plant growth in the outdoor school garden and indoors using hydroponic tower gardens.

Kindergarten and first-grade classes spent time planting seeds, learning about how food grows, and discovering what plants need to thrive. Students worked in the Bramlett garden, where they planted red clover to enrich the soil over the winter, along with lettuce, cilantro, radishes, spinach, and kale in the raised flower beds just outside their very own classrooms.

Additionally, several classes participated in tower garden planting, using indoor hydroponic systems equipped with lights. These tower gardens allow students to observe how plants can grow vertically and how nature adapts in different environments. Students planted kale and spinach, which they will later harvest in December to make Tropical Green Smoothies—a blend of spinach, kale, milk, orange juice, pineapple, and mango.

These experiences help connect technology and science lessons to real-life examples of healthy eating and innovation.

“As a Child Nutrition leader, I believe that hands-on gardening experiences help students make meaningful connections between what they grow and what they eat,” said OSD Assistant Director of Child Nutrition, Jeannette Clements. “When children understand where their food comes from, they’re more likely to make healthy choices and develop lifelong habits that support their well-being. Our garden is not just a place to grow vegetables—it’s a place to grow healthy minds and bodies.”

Additionally, BES teacher Mrs. Greene stated, “I love working with the children in the garden. Gardening activates all of the senses, which creates memorable learning experiences in science and ignites students’ curiosity. The students get to feel all the joy of a garden from planting to tending to harvesting to eating. They also learn so much patience and the power of observation as they watch the growth of the plants they are growing. The garden has also provided a beautiful haven for birds and pollinators. The students love to identify the sounds and experience the surprises in nature. Our garden has become a special, calming outdoor classroom.”