Deep Roots founder Wisdom Jzar works in the garden at Gaston County Schools’ Dora Humphrey School Nutrition Center.

Additionally, some of the food has been used over the past two months in the school district’s summer meals program.

School nutrition director Angela Calamia calls the gardening effort “a work in progress” with plans to double the number of planting beds, grow lettuce and other leafy vegetables, and possibly add strawberry plants and blueberry bushes.  The goal is to have the garden producing not just in the summer months, but year-round.  A greenhouse will be added next year; the greenhouse currently at W.P. Grier Middle School will be moved to the garden in 2025 rather than be demolished when the new school building, now under construction, opens.

Crews from Deep Roots, a local farming company, are responsible for tending to and harvesting vegetables and herbs from the Gaston County Schools garden, which is located at the Dora Humphrey School Nutrition Center in Lowell.

Crews with Deep Roots, a local farming company, are responsible for planting, tending to the garden, and harvesting.  They take an all-organic approach, which ensures freshness and a quality product.  The school district spends about $4,000 a month to maintain the garden, which, according to Calamia, is a bargain. 

Food prices have skyrocketed in recent years, and the quality is not what it used to be.  For example, when School Nutrition purchases lettuce for salads, much of the outer portion has to be discarded due to time elapsed in the harvesting, shipping, and delivery process.  With plans to grow lettuce in the near future, going directly from the garden to the school cafeteria will reduce the amount of waste, ensure better quality, and result in a tastier salad. 

While it is customary for schools to have a small garden for instructional purposes, the concept of a school district having a garden to supplement its school nutrition program is a new idea.  Calamia believes Gaston County is the only school district in the state that’s producing its own vegetables and herbs. 

A look at the garden at Gaston County Schools’ Dora Humphrey School Nutrition Center in Lowell.

Last year, Gaston County Schools was one of seven nutrition programs to receive recognition from the N.C. Department of Public Instruction.  Gaston County was named a “Summer Nutrition Champion” for producing food for its summer meals program, earning the Farm-to-Summer Award.  The honor recognized Gaston County for having a Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)-certified garden that provided more than 750 pounds of cucumbers and 40 pounds of cherry tomatoes for summer meals in 2023.  With the garden expanding to more than a half-acre, the amount of vegetables being harvested is increasing significantly.

Even though the garden takes a lot of work, it’s worth it, says Calamia, especially during a time when the farm-to-table concept is popular.  She wants to grow the gardening program even more, especially since it is her personal goal to offer meal options for students that are nutritious and delicious with locally-grown flavor.