Students growing crops in the classroom at Farber Educational Center

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Students are adding the necessary nutrients to water and testing it to be sure it's right.

That water is what feeds the produce growing in their classroom.

"We plant them, we also do change the water, like refill them and things," Hailey Martinez said.

She's a junior at Farber Educational Center.

She and her classmates have been working on six flex farms across campus.

"We're planting lettuce and tomatoes, cherry tomatoes," Hailey said.

The flex farms give students the opportunity to grow produce using hydroponics.

That means everything grows without soil and instead gets its nutrients from water.

Science teacher Jadrian Ejercito says hydroponics is a great jumping off point for students' in developing an understanding of science.

"It really sets up most of the foundation for the concepts in biology," Ejercito said.

He says it also gives them a realistic idea of what goes into growing food.

"So that's, I think, one of the great things about hydroponics; for gardening or agriculture in general, not everything goes the way as planned," Ejercito said.

Three of the flex farms on Farber's campus are there thanks to the "California Farm to School Incubator Grant" that was received by Fresno Unified School District.

Director of Nutrition Services, Amanda Harvey, says a total of 10 flex farms were purchased through the grant and spread throughout the district.

"So the intention for the grant is to introduce more climate smart agriculture to our students," Harvey said.

The ultimate goal is to get what's grown in the flex farms onto the student's plates in the cafeteria.

Until then, she hopes this inspires students to start growing their own food at home, at as well.

"When you're connected to your food, you just - it's what nourishes our body - and so it just takes it to a whole other level when you grow it yourself," Harvey said.

The flex farms were made possible from the third round of funding through this grant.

The district hopes to keep the program going and growing in the future.

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