NORWICH – The DCMO BOCES Conservation Program is currently spearheading a greenhouse cold crop project under the facilitation of Tarra Barnhart, academic science integration teacher. Barnhart and three Conservation students, Nevin Cutting from Sidney Central School and Lucas Pikul and Adam Simpkin, both students from Bainbridge-Guilford Central School, visited Page’s Seed Company in Greene to meet with CEO/President Lynda Granger. Page’s Seed gave a tour of the facility and highlighted their manufacturing process, while also donating seed to the BOCES greenhouse program.

Conservation and Culinary Arts students will be growing fall cold crop vegetables and herbs from Page’s Seed donations in the BOCES greenhouse located adjacent to the Conservation Program. These crops will then be utilized by the Culinary Arts Program as fresh ingredients for meal preparation. Further advantages of the program include reducing environmental impact by growing food “on campus.” Culinary Arts reduces cost by growing, instead of buying, a portion of their ingredients. Students will gain a deeper understanding of the benefits of locally grown, organically produced food that starts as seed in the greenhouse and ends up on the lunch plate.