District Gardens

Mission Statement:

The mission of the North Colonie district gardens and related programs is to provide opportunities rooted in food equity that seek to nourish all students in order to support their physical and mental well-being. The overall goal is to educate all students toward a culturally and agriculturally diverse food system, while promoting connections, family engagement and community collaboration for a sustainable future.

Farm to School Facilitator:

Meet Mrs. Amber Cost! She has been a chemistry teacher in North Colonie for more than 15 years and this year she is taking on a new role as our Farm to School Facilitator! What is that? We’ll let her explain!

About the Gardens:

The North Colonie Central School District has six gardens used not only to supply food to our cafeterias and classrooms, but also to community members as well. There is an excitement around the district to bring education to our students that is centered around food, nutrition, cooking and local produce.

Shaker High School Garden

Students tend to a flower bed in the SHS garden.
Students pour new mulch into a raised bed.
Students weed a bed in the SHS garden.
Farm to School Facilitator Amber Cost and students pour new mulch into a bed.
Students harvest fresh produce from the SHS garden.
One of the Shaker athletic teams helps clean up the SHS garden in the spring.

The flagship garden of the district, the Shaker High School garden has been in place for about 7 years now. It has grown to 16 raised beds and 5 fruit trees with plans for continued growth.

Blue Creek Garden

A tomato grows in the Blue Creek garden.
The centerpiece of the garden at Blue Creek is a heart made out of rocks that were painted by students.
A fruit tree flourishes in the Blue Creek garden.

The garden at Blue Creek Elementary School has been rejuvenated with the help of students who are members of Girls Scouts as a project that they took on. We will be participating in the Farm to Institution New York State (FINYS) specifically with the Blue Creek garden as the focus.

Shaker Middle School Garden

The garden beds looking good despite the heat this summer.
Large yellow squash which will soon be harvested from the Shaker Middle School Garden.
The garden beds looking good despite the heat this summer.
Tomatoes continue to grow in the Shaker Middle School Garden.
Four raised garden beds grow during the summer at Shaker Middle School.

Shaker Middle School’s garden has been in place for a number of years with five raised beds. Currently there is yellow squash and tomatoes that are nearly ready to be harvested.

Latham Ridge Outdoor Learning Space & Garden

The music wall is a popular space for students at Latham Ridge.
Mrs. Paige Rossi works in the garden at Latham Ridge.
Students can cross the wooden bridge over the “stream” in the outdoor learning space.
The garden beds at Latham Ridge grow fresh produce.
Garden beds grow fresh produce and herbs at Latham Ridge.
The outdoor learning space at Latham Ridge.

Latham Ridge students have enjoyed both a garden and an outdoor learning space for a couple of years now. Innovation lab teacher Paige Rossi has helped spearhead use of the space. In addition to the garden beds, there is a music wall, weather devices and other sensory features for students to enjoy and learn from in the center courtyard.

Loudonville Garden

Vegetables and herbs start to grow in the Loudonville Garden.
The district’s newest garden, at Loudonville Elementary School, begins to take shape.
Cherry tomatoes grow during the summer in the Loudonville garden.
A thyme plant grows in the Loudonville garden.
Gardens begin to grow at Loudonville Elementary School.

Loudonville Elementary School has the district’s newest garden which was installed in 2024. It consists of four raised beds, similar to those at Latham Ridge.

Boght Hills Garden

Boght Hills students learn about the different qualities of garlic from health teacher Ms. Moran.
A Boght Hills student plants a bulb of garlic in the garden.
John from Forts Ferry Farm teaches Boght Hills students how to plant garlic in the fall.

Boght Hills Elementary School has one raised bed, but it is a rather large square bed. Students planted garlic in the fall with the help of our community partners at Forts Ferry Farm. Innovation lab teacher Stacey Shepard has been doing work with her students in the garden as well.