At Winona Senior High School in Minnesota, sophomore Miriam Jackson manages six hydroponic Flex Farms that grow up to 200 pounds of lettuce each month. These fresh greens are served in school lunches for over 800 students, making school meals more nutritious and local.

Developed by Wisconsin-based Fork Farms, Flex Farms are indoor hydroponic systems designed for small spaces like schools. Jackson handles seed germination, water monitoring, and pH balancing for the crops, mostly leafy greens like iceberg lettuce. While harvest days require extra help, she manages most tasks independently, spending nearly 15 hours a week on the project.

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction recently embarked on an exciting journey with its new Fork Farms Flex Farm hydroponic grow tower. On January 13, 2025, the first lettuce seeds were planted, which were ready for transplanting into the tower by February 3. Throughout February, the seedlings grew into mature lettuce, and by March 3, the first harvest was ready! The freshly grown lettuce was served at the WI DPI School Nutrition Team’s monthly meeting and potluck—where it received rave reviews.

The hydroponic adventure didn’t stop there! The lettuce regenerated throughout March and on March 31, the Flex Farm was showcased at the Wisconsin State Capitol for a special Farm to School event. Visitors were invited to explore the grow tower and take home free lettuce and bean seed packets, branded with the Wisconsin Farm to School logo.

Paul Karpawich, Program Director for Uplift NH, hosted a presentation and discussion about driving environmental education and problem-based learning in school curriculum across New Hampshire.

Paul shared his organization’s success in working with schools and students to launch and sustain food waste diversion and composting projects and offered networking space to replicate similar projects in your own school.