Milwaukee students grow food using hydroponic pods

Fifth graders at Forest Home Avenue School in Milwaukee are growing hundreds of pounds of food in their classroom. They use hydroponic pods made by a company called Flex Farms based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Under the guidance of their teacher, Mrs. Glorimar Melendez, students learn to manage the entire growing process. They adjust pH levels, harvest plants, and even prepare meals with the vegetables they grow. The goal is to help students appreciate fresh food and healthy eating. During the past few years, the students have successfully grown lettuce, tomatoes, spinach, cucumbers, and various herbs. It only takes one month to grow 25 pounds of lettuce. At first, many students were skeptical about eating lettuce. However, now they enjoy it, with one student, Cristian Benitez, stating, "Very good, I could tell you that." The hydroponic pods require minimal maintenance. Flex Farms designed them to be user-friendly, needing just three hours of work per month to produce food. Josh Mahlik, the director at Flex Farms, says that early exposure to growing fresh food can positively impact children's eating habits for life. The program also supports local food pantries, helping them provide fresh produce. Mahlik emphasizes the importance of teaching resilience to young people through hands-on learning experiences. In addition to growing food, the program integrates subjects like biology, chemistry, reading, writing, and math. Mrs. Melendez, who once doubted her gardening skills, has seen her confidence and expertise grow since starting the program in 2018. Her passion for planting has rubbed off on her students, who have developed a new love for healthy eating.