Windward Nazarene’s Truck Farm On A Roll
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Del.icio.usGardens are all the buzz lately for blooming in unconventional places like on roofs, vertical spreads on walls, or in “found” planter boxes on balconies. But a pickup truck garden?
That’s exactly what Windward Nazarene Academy has cooked up a self-contained garden in the bed of a truck. One of 25 across the country, The Truck Farm got its start last spring with principal Kay Hishinuma’s husband lending his own truck to the effort.
With styrofoam fish boxes donated by Uncle’s Fish Market and the academy’s own supply of compost and worm compost that it uses in its larger garden, the truck project began. As their semester project, eighth-graders had a pizza-themed approach, planting tomatoes, basil, rosemary, green peppers, onions and eggplant. The mobile garden then went on tour.
“The Truck Farm has made a few appearances,” said Hishinuma. “We brought it to the Grow Hawaiian Festival culminating event last May and at Children and Youth Day at the State Capitol. In all venues, the Truck Farm has been well-received. People have asked all kinds of questions.”
Currently, the middle school garden club has taken charge, particularly the fifth-graders. It’s being maintained in conjunction with the traditional Children’s Garden that grows fruits, vegetables and herbs for school meals.
The love of dirt and worms attracts students of all ages to pull, pick and otherwise tend to crops during recess or after classes. Duties include feeding, harvesting and re-bedding worms in the vermiculture program, as well as care of the aquaponic garden.
Star products include beefsteak, red pear, grape and roma tomatoes; three varieties of eggplant; lemon, thai purple and Italian sweet basil; oregano, thyme, rosemary, lemongrass, chives, green onions, mint and sage; a mixture of lettuces and rotating crops such as string beans, kale, strawberries, carrots and cabbage.
Teachers sometimes incorporate the garden into their class curriculum, and with the garden-on-wheels, other schools also can learn from it.
“We are planning an appearance in January at Sunset Beach Elementary,” noted Hishinuma.
“The Truck Farm is a novelty that, I hope, gets people thinking about the possibilities of planting a garden, even in unlikely places.”
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