School district officials unveiled Greenport’s first-ever outdoor greenhouse Friday to grow and harvest “hundreds of pounds” of fresh produce, officials said.
The 20-by-50-foot structure west of the school building was created with help from a New York State Farm to School grant which offered $68,820 to districts on the East End in 2018 to improve access to fresh food.
In October 2018, Carl Gabrielsen of Gabrielsen Farms donated the “bare bones” of a greenhouse to Greenport, Superintendent David Gamberg said.
Later that month, technology teacher Mike Davies began working with the high school and middle school Design, Drawing and Production class to construct the exterior, electrical wiring and plumbing within the greenhouse. All 25 varieties of herbs, veggies and flowers were seeded on April 15, Mr. Davies said.
The hydroponic system used in the greenhouse is similar to a system unveiled inside the school earlier this year, also manufactured by the DDP class, Mr. Davies said.