The Peter Skene Ogden agriculture class is excited to hold their upcoming plant sale later this month.
The sale, set for May 28-29, has been conducted annually by PSO teacher, Claudia Morgenthaler, who has been teaching the agriculture class for 11 years. Besides preparing for the plant sale, the class also learns the fundamentals of agriculture, so they can plant and care for their own gardens as well.
The class, which includes students from grades 9 to 12, focuses on organic agriculture, especially when it comes to herbs and veggies.
“It’s okay if they are treated a little bit, but everything else is really pure,” she said.
The class started growing their plants from seed in February. With the late snow and colder spring, though, it has been harder to grow them, Morgenthaler said.
“We are only a little bit behind. The sun isn’t shining right now, it’s catching up. But the last two weeks or so, they can grow and hopefully the weather cooperates.”
Last year, PSO classes were formatted using a quarter system, so it was mostly education assistants who helped out. But Morgenthaler said this year it’s back to normal, so students can resume taking shifts working in the garden.
Student Tyler Guimond said he likes preparing the Earth for the gardening season.
“I like a lot of the planting and digging the dirt up. I think that’s really fun,” he said. “And I’m a big fan of the teacher, she’s really nice… it’s good to have some friends here too.”
Nolan Stusrud said he can’t wait to see what comes up after all their hard work.
“I enjoy spending my time with my hands in the dirt, seeding, planting flower beds hits, and just getting ready for the plant sale,” he said.
Other students said they liked the fact they could be outside, and were eager to watch the plants grow.
“I’m excited to experience a new thing in my life, so yeah, I think it’s gonna be awesome,” Guimond said.
Morgenthaler said she loves teaching gardening to the youth.
“I love gardening and I love plants,” she said. “If you have your own garden, your own greenhouse, you do your own stuff.”
The money raised from the sale will pay for the seeds for the class next year, Morgenthaler said, as well as help support other classes at PSO such as science and woodwork.
After all their hard work, Morgenthaler is happy. “In the end, we have everything blooming.”
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