Abraxas High School is growing its educational garden program with fundraisers in the spring and fall in addition to a new monthly student-run farm stand.
The next Open House Plant & Homemade Salsa Sale is set for 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 10 at the Abraxas garden, 12450 Glen Oak Road in Poway.
Students will lead tours of the garden on the school’s campus and sell plants, succulents, and produce grown in the garden as well as baked goods. One of the highlights is watching students make salsa for the fundraiser.
Bob Lutticken, an Abraxas agriculture and aquaponics teacher, said the spring Open House is also an opportunity to buy gifts for Mother’s Day on May 11 that are handmade by students. Some of the items for sale will include decorative succulent pots, student-made artwork, T-shirts and tote bags with a garden logo, and essential oils.
“The plants are different in the spring so there will be seasonal produce and a lot of plants for sale,” said Lutticken, who added that the proceeds will be used to garden activities, the Abraxas High School Foundation and other classroom projects.
The garden program is expanding with a new Abraxas Garden Farm Stand that debuted to the public on Feb. 27, he said. The student-run farm stand is now open from 10 to 11 a.m. the last Thursday of each month during the school year at the school garden. The next farm stand is set for May 29.
Culinary students contribute to the farm stand by preparing and selling items such as spices, sriracha hot sauce, salsa and seasonings.
The farm stand also teaches adult special needs students in the Transition Program to work with money and socialize with customers. The one-hour farm stand is led by Transition Program teacher Melanie Fink.
“We wanted to make a job site for some of the Transition kids so they can get used to working with the public and learn how to work with money and projects,” Lutticken said. “A lot of people want to buy the food we grow. It’s purely organic and great.”
Transition students get involved in the school garden by planting seeds, harvesting and doing light chores like sweeping. Lutticken makes it fun by playing music and students socialize with other students while enjoying the outdoors and nature.
“They like being able to give back to the school and give back to the community,” Fink said. “So many people have had nice things to say about the garden, so they’re really proud about the work they’re doing.”
The 18- to 22-year-old Transition students with moderate to severe disabilities are learning how to navigate the community along with cooking, job-related skills and interviewing and resume building. Even the academic lessons in reading, writing and math have a practical component — the students write emails and read current event articles, she said.
Once the students graduate, they can apply their skills in a community college program, at a job, or in a day program where they get involved in community service projects and learn to go shopping and dine at restaurants, Fink said.
During the monthly farm stands, students arrange vegetables for display, prepare the bags, create signs with prices for the produce, and one student with beautiful handwriting makes the chalkboard sign, she said. Once the farm stand opens with the help of students who set up tents and tables, one Transition student works the cash with from staff while other student greeters share a price list and answer customer questions.
When it closes up, Transition students put the leftover produce and decor away, count the money and generally help clean up, she said.
The students market the farm stand by distributing fliers at their job sites and after-school programs.
“It’s a great opportunity for them to work on their communication skills, customer service and self-advocacy,” Fink said. “When they accomplish something they feel proud of themselves.”
The garden is used to help students learn to grow healthy food and then donate the food to families in need, Lutticken said. Produce grown in the garden is also used to teach culinary program students to cook healthy and nutritious food, he said.
The garden was built in 2015 by students in Abraxas’ construction, aquaponic and agriculture classes. Half the garden is devoted to ground crops and the other half to aquaponics.
For more information, email Lutticken at [email protected].
