Sustainability Spotlight: Freight Farm to School
Have you heard of Farm to School? What about Freight Farm to School? If you drive by The Bay in Lincoln you might notice a metal container in the parking lot. This metal freight container is actually growing food inside! Beyond School Bells has brought the first Freight Farm to Nebraska, which is a state-of-the-art hydroponic farm in a shipping container that produces the equivalent of a 2.5 acre farm. Unlike a traditional farm, this container allows plants to grow vertically, without soil, and requires very little water.
“This farm uses only five to ten gallons of water per day, which is about 98% less water than traditional agriculture”.
There are many exciting destinations planned for the Freight Farm food, and Lincoln Public Schools is fortunate to have two of their cafeterias be included in that list! Kale, bib, and red leaf lettuce were grown and freshly picked to be served in the cafeterias at Elliott Elementary and Lincoln High less than 24 hours later. The first tubs arrived on a chilly morning in December. Cafeteria staff were amazed at the intense color and pristine quality. After a quick trim to remove the root and soil plug, all the remaining plant is fully edible, unlike most produce which requires additional trimming to remove wilted or damaged leaves.
“Absolutely beautiful. It still takes my breath away every time we get a delivery”
The mixture of lettuces were used for both side salads and chef salads, and they were a big hit with the students! Lincoln High noted an increase in daily salad consumption as well as a subsequent decrease in salad consumption on the days when the freight farm lettuce was not available or had all been used. The students definitely noticed and preferred the Freight Farm lettuce.
Elliott students were excited to learn about the lettuce being grown fully indoors and also so close to Elliott school. Students & staff members were eager to try the lettuce and learn about this exciting program. Nearly all the students enthusiastically raised their hands when asked if they’d like to try some lettuce that “grew on a wall”. There was much appreciation that Elliott was chosen to receive the lettuce and be included in the partnership between Freight Farm Food and LPS Nutrition Services. The pictures that Farm to School volunteers brought to Elliott were a hit with our students.
This connects well with existing Farm to School efforts in the district. The LPS Nutrition Services department strives to incorporate local foods, defined as a 250 mile radius, into the cafeteria when possible. From August 2021 to March 2022, over $800,000 of local purchases were made including 3,600,763 cartons of milk, 138,768 chicken thighs, and 6,456 pounds of apples and watermelons.
"Using local produce is a fun way to engage with students. When students know the story behind where the produce comes from, it seems like they are more likely to try it!”
Hundreds of pounds of lettuce were donated for these first experiences with the greens, but it is the hope of Beyond School Bells and LPS Nutrition Services that this local food will become a regular product in these cafeterias in the future.
“Not only is this an example of Farm to school, but Beyond School Bells is proud to engage students across Lincoln Public Schools in the farm itself so that students contribute to producing food for themselves, their peers, and their community.”
Updated May 3, 2022
