Village Farms Fresh says it opened its doors to students in the Big Bend region of Texas for greenhouse tours over the past six months.
With support from the Big Bend Conservation Alliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the cultural and natural heritage of our region, Village Farms Fresh has offered enriching educational experiences to young learners. This collaboration has extended its reach across five schools: Presidio Elementary, Marfa Middle School, Fort Davis Elementary, Terlingua Elementary, and Alpine Elementary, according to a news release.
Village Farms Fresh says it integrated the greenhouse tours into classroom curriculum focused on sustainable agriculture. Students learned about hydroponic growing systems and Flex Farms to cultivate lettuce.
“Seeing the children’s faces light up when they saw the size and productivity of our greenhouses, our bumblebee pollination and our staff doing the hard work of tending the crop was a joy,” Abigail Lange, Village Farms Fresh facility manager for Marfa, said in the release. “BBCA and Village Farms are forming lifelong connections for these students as they see the principles they’re learning in the classroom reflected on an industrial scale in the business world. We’re proud to be a part of this unique program.”
Since the first visit with fourth grade and fifth grade students from Fort Davis Elementary in December 2023, Village Farms has welcomed 125 students from grades 3-8 across Fort Davis, Marfa, Alpine, and Presidio school communities over the past six months.
“Village Farms Fresh has a long history in its dedication to interacting and working with our local community whenever the opportunity presents itself,” said Derin Gemmel, vice president of human resources for the company. “We were very excited to work with our local youth and school districts when the BBCA reached out to us with this valuable initiative.”
Village Farms Fresh says the mission of BBCA is to enhance food accessibility and educate students about sustainable farming methods. The company says it highlights greenhouse production innovations to empower the students to become stewards of our environment and advocates for sustainable living.
“Visiting the Village Farms Fresh Greenhouse has helped students connect what they’re doing in the classroom to the world around them,” said Elvira Hermosillo, program manager for BBCA. “The Flex Farm teaches students innovative technologies while inspiring them to grow their own food.”
