US (MN): Children's Home greenhouse teaches more than gardening
He and the students add different things the dirt needs like peat moss and manure for nitrogen. While kids concentrate on plant growth, Gustafson offers life lessons, to encourage their own growth.
"(It's) something to hold you in place and nourish you," he said. "We talk about those things while making the dirt." The greenhouse was completed this spring, for about $30,000, with the help of a large donation from the St. Cloud Area Optimist Club.
The new greenhouse has up-to-date equipment, which lets Gustafson set a range of temperatures for the day and night. It's much more efficient to operate than the old greenhouse. It's also in a more convenient location. The old greenhouse is down the hill, which was a hard trudge with deep winter snow. This one is more accessible for students year-round. They'll still use the old greenhouse because of the number of plants they grow.
The kids are in the greenhouse three days a week doing plant care, fertilizing and transplanting. Gustafson works with students ages 9-18.
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