The Rangeley Lakes Regional School garden project has received a donation for seeds. In back from left are Emmarae MacFawn, Cassie Hobbs and Will Dugan; front, Bowden Washington, Riley Wilson and Evan Smith.

School garden project receives seed donation

RANGELEY – Rangeley Lakes Builders Supply has donated vegetable and flower seeds to the Rangeley Lakes Regional School to support the annual garden project.

The school project is led by Nini Christiansen and Shirley Schrader. On the school grounds there are seven five-by-five raised beds. Each class, grades kindergarten to five, is assigned a plot in which they plant a garden.

Each class chooses a theme and plants seeds that correspond with the theme. In years past they have chosen a “pizza garden,” “stone soup garden” and “salsa garden.”

The students learn where their food comes from, the creativity of planning the garden and the responsibility of preparing the soil, planting the seeds and caring for the plants.

When the plants mature early enough, the harvested vegetables have been served in the school cafeteria for the entire school body.

During the summer, the project leaders share the responsibility of caring for the gardens.

A portion of the $650 seed donation was also distributed to Little Mountain School, Rainbow School and Little Ones Playcare. This allows the preschool children to be introduced to planting.