Specialty Crop

A variety of Park Elementary School classes and members of the school garden club grow vegetables and flowers (including pollinators) in a greenhouse that was constructed in 2022 and early 2023. They study a wide range of topics relating to plant sciences, horticulture, gardening, and produce production and distribution. A story in Oil City News said that the focus of the Park garden program is on the business side of food growing, including farmers’ markets. “(The program) will really help students to understand where food comes from and how to make healthy decisions when it comes to food,” said school Principal Emily Catellier. Some of the produce is used in the school’s snack program.

Park Elementary collaborated with the Casper Community Greenhouse Project (see listing above), Natrona County School District, and USDA’s Patrick Leahy Farm to School Program (see national listings’ section) to build the greenhouse on an underused portion of the school’s playground.