BEMS Greenhouse

Building has begun at Bonny Eagle Middle School for a passive solar greenhouse. Rippling Waters Farm began the project. The farm focuses on food security by increasing food capacity of the four district towns through work with schools and senior citizens. The grant was written by Richard Rudolph on behalf of the Saco Valley Food Connections which is a project of Rippling Waters Farm. Richard is the executive director of RWF and is the director of the Saco Valley Food Connections project. The farm currently works with G.E. Jack and Steep Falls Schools gardening programs to help link the schools to the communities. The middle school project will be enhanced by connecting gardening to the school curriculum through hands on work in the greenhouse. Grants funds include a total of $26,000 with an additional moneys needed to fund the project. Rudolph said the grant from the USDA totaled $25,000. He said Maine Initiative has donated $1,000 and the town of Standish donated $1,500, making a current total of $27,500. Rudolph said the total cost of the greenhouse project is $49,250. He said the board of directors at Rippling Waters Farm will look for ways to raise money for the remaining cost.

Operating costs will be minimal, the only need will be to operate a bank of lights when necessary as the greenhouse is designed to make use of solar heating and using water storage to provide heat through the night. This design is being used in Cheyenne Wyoming, which has a climate similar to the Bonny Eagle greenhouse. Steve Tibbetts, who designed the greenhouse, said it will use passive solar energy. With the sun coming through the glass of the roof, along with the insulation, it will keep the greenhouse warm. There will also be two 55-gallon tanks of water in the greenhouse. The excess heat of the greenhouse during the day heats up the tanks. Then at night, the heat from the tanks keeps the garden warm. No fuel will have to be used.

In addition to providing the greenhouse, the organization will provide an Americorp person to provide research for learning experiences and to provide lessons for each grade level. Sydney Tyson, the Americorp representative for the greenhouse project, said she will instruct teachers on how the greenhouse may be related to all subjects. The curriculum will support knowledge of science and math. It will support social responsibility and ownership in food giving. It provides the opportunity to test, design, and build gardens that provide opportunity for learning and benefit of food production. It promotes self-sufficiency through experiential learning.

The hope is that the program will one day expand to span grades K-12. Middle School Assistant Principal Deb Howard said: “The green house will be another tool for learning. We will use the greenhouse in a multiple of ways. Hopefully the students will take what they learn and share their knowledge within the community.”

Bonny Eagle Middle School broke ground for a passive solar greenhouse today, October 21. The Grant Fund Proposal for the greenhouse was submitted by Richard Rudolph the Director of Rippling Waters Farm. Rippling Waters focuses on food security by increasing food capacity of the four district towns through work with schools and senior citizens. In addition to providing the greenhouse, the organization will provide an Americorp person to provide research for learning experiences and to provide lessons for each grade level. Food will be grown for the school food service program with any excess going to local food pantries.