Master Gardeners, OES Students Harvest Food For Cafeteria

ORLEANS – On a crisp, sunny October afternoon, students in Kimberly Bruemmer’s fourth grade class got their hands dirty in the garden outside of Orleans Elementary School. The garden, which for the past 20 years has been maintained by volunteers with the Master Gardener Association of Cape Cod, comes to life every year with produce including kale, lettuce, potatoes, carrots and green beans.

 On this day, master gardeners Gary Bowden, Seanne Jersey and Skip Jahn are teaching students how to plant garlic. Students excitedly dug out beds and planted cloves that will eventually materialize into bulbs. Over time, the food they harvest will find its way into the school cafeteria.

 “They share their time, they share their expertise, they share their passion,” OES Principal Elaine Pender said of the gardeners. “It all goes really nicely with this idea of farm to school. We’re trying to get kids to understand where their food comes from, to understand the nutrition value of foods and to like different foods.”

 The master gardeners volunteer their time at the school on Thursdays during the spring and fall, where they help students plant, harvest and sample produce that comes from the garden. 

 “It’s why we all do it,” said Bowden, who has been part of the association since 2020. “Just seeing the kids, they’re happy to be out here. They’re curious…and they’re willing to taste.”

 Earlier in the fall, students harvested potatoes, lettuce and kale, all of which is utilized in the school cafeteria and served to students during lunch. They’re also growing fall herbs such as rosemary and sage, Bowden said.

 “It’s work,” he said of the gardening. “I mean, it’s easy to take processed food that’s delivered…but [the cafeteria staff] seem happy to use the kale, to use the potatoes. We’ve grown leeks some years and they’ve made potato leek soup.”

 The gardeners and students also get some help from the broader community, Bowden said. Cape Associates supplied the labor and materials to help redo the garden beds.

“It just took an email and it was done,” he said. 

The garden project is an example of the elementary school’s focus on deeper, experiential learning designed to apply educational concepts out of the classroom. For Breummer, the volunteerism from the master gardeners affords students such an opportunity to learn in a hands-on setting.

“Our master gardeners are the biggest gift ever, because they’re so knowledgeable,” she said. “For them to donate their time, it’s great.”

Bowden said similar garden programs are being explored at schools in other towns, including Eddy Elementary School in Brewster.