From Seed to Sale

Student activity from the article “From Seed to Sale” from the July/August 2010 Our Ohio magazine.

Academic Content Standard
(Technology: Designed World G Standard: High School): Students will classify, demonstrate, examine and appraise agricultural and related biotechnologies including technical careers, system management and safety.
(Note: Key terms used from the National Academic Content Standards, K-12 Technology.)

Discussion points

  1. Where is the Metro Early College High School located?
  2. What training are these high school students receiving for possible careers in agriculture?
  3. In the article, the students are discussing “black plastic weed barriers.” What scientific process are the students using? (Hint: look at the article.)
  4. What is the name of the program that “teaches students how to grow produce and how to run a farmers market?”
  5. In your opinion, is this a good way to investigate emerging and innovative applications of agriculture?
  6. Because the students work with faculty and staff from the Ohio State University, can they easily consult with experts regarding emerging biotechnologies?
  7. Describe how this high school explores the use of a combination of organizations to teach the production, processing and distribution of food.
  8. Where is the food produced by the high school students distributed?
  9. A student in the article says of farming “you have to learn to do it right.”  Describe the factors of farming that you have to get right in the following areas: Safety, Solving practical problems: (ex. growing food year round), Genetic engineering: (ex. genetically modified seeds), Design application: (green houses, fish farms, aquaculture), Effects of fertilizers and herbicides on the environment, Codes and laws related to agriculture (ex. OSHA or the Ohio EPA)
  10. The farmers market was a project for these students. What types of career skills were developed while planning, organizing and implementing the farm market? Communications? Business?
  11. Did the student make any profit from their program?
  12. According to the article what did the school do with the money raised from the farmers market?
  13. A student at the end of the articles states “It’s a lot of work to go from seed to harvest.”  What types of careers can this experience lead to for the students?

Hands on at Home or School

  1. Watch the Growing America video, which was mentioned in the article.
  2. Go to your computer’s search engine and type in “high school farmers market.”  Are there other high school farmers market programs?  Where?
  3. Geography: Look at the location of the Metro School’s farmers market and the Waterman Farm.  Are you surprised they are located in the city of Columbus and not in the country?
  4. Using the OurOhio.org Buying Local Directory, locate farmers markets around the state of Ohio.  Go visit one and see what they have produced.
  • Ask the people who run the farmers market where their produce originated.
  • What are the benefits of buying produce from a farmers market compared to the grocery store?

Student activities are prepared by Camille Kopczewski, who is coordinator of religious education at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Grove City. She is a former sixth grade social studies teacher for South-Western City Schools. She has undergraduate and graduate degrees in education.