Blooming Heights Edible Schoolyard & Outdoor Classroom

Our Mission

The mission of Blooming Heights Edible Schoolyard is to support academic achievement and promote healthy nutrition for students in the Columbia Heights Public School District. As a district-wide organic school garden, Blooming Heights is a resource for all teachers and students to use as a living laboratory and outdoor classroom to enhance class lessons and curriculum. The garden is also open to community members as a space to learn about growing nutritious food and sustainable gardening.

About the Garden

Blooming Heights Edible Schoolyard is located behind Columbia Heights district offices, between the high school and the Family Center. It is within short walking distance from two of the three district elementary schools and the middle school. Planning for the garden began in the fall of 2009 with the help of Anoka County Master Gardeners, and we broke ground in the spring of 2010. We have both ground level beds and a number of raised beds for vegetables, fruits, flowers and herbs. There is a small orchard with apple, pear, cherry and plums trees, as well as a pergola with hardy grapevines. We also grow raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, hardy kiwi, juneberries, honeyberries, gooseberries and currants (a student favorite!).

Programming at Blooming Heights includes learners from all ages – from the Early Childhood and Family Education program, to students in grades K-12, and extending into adult enrichment classes. Students in the district start seeds in early spring using grow labs in their classrooms, and transplant the seedlings outdoors before the end of the school year. Student involvement is integral to the upkeep of the garden and they help with all planting, weeding, watering, and harvesting. During the summer, K-6th grade students in Summer Adventure Club take most of the responsibility for tending the garden. In addition to planting, watering and weeding, they harvest fruits and vegetables for weekly cooking lessons and run a produce stand at a nearby farmer’s market. Any produce that is not used for cooking or sold at the farmer’s market is preserved for use by the FACS classes during the school year or donated to the local foods shelf.

In spring 2013 the district developed a full-time, year round Garden Specialist position to advance garden programming. The Garden Specialist works with E-12th grade teachers to find meaningful ways to integrate the garden into their classroom curriculum.

The garden is always open to the public and we welcome members from the community to come out and enjoy the beauty of Blooming Heights.