In the last few years, having a garden on the grounds has become a favorite asset at many schools. Particularly in urban areas, a patch producing vegetables and herbs gives students insight into an assortment of lessons, from basic biology and food production to nutrition.
At Peachtree Charter Middle in Dunwoody, seventh-grade life sciences teacher Anne Nancy Bustamante has been tapping onto those lessons for five years. And she’s also found a way to make the school’s garden a community outreach project.
“We started talking about a garden in 2011 when a parent volunteer brought us the idea,” said Bustamante, who has been part of the Peachtree faculty for 15 years. “Now, they’ve become the ‘in’ thing to have.”