Students at St. John Lutheran School in Merrill just finished growing 16 pounds of green leaf lettuce in their library!

Fifth through eighth grade students successfully harvested the lettuce with a hydroponic growing system. This system allows the school to grow pesticide free fruits and vegetables year round using less energy than normal farming.

Students planted the seeds in moss pods. Two weeks later, they then transferred the plants into the hydroponic growing system. Three weeks later, the students were able to harvest their first eight pounds of lettuce. This first bundle was used to feed the entire school, Pre-k thru eighth grade, a taco salad lunch. After another three weeks, the students harvested the remaining lettuce and donated eight pounds to the local food pantry the week of Thanksgiving.

Alex Tyink, inventor of the growing system, helped St. John Lutheran School teacher, John Breitwisch, obtain a grant to fund the cost of the system.