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District Gardens

A banner of multiple images of the various gardens in the North Colonie Central School District.

Mission Statement:

The mission of the North Colonie district gardens and related programs is to provide opportunities rooted in food equity that seek to nourish all students in order to support their physical and mental well-being. The overall goal is to educate all students toward a culturally and agriculturally diverse food system, while promoting connections, family engagement and community collaboration for a sustainable future.

Summer Garden Market:

An image of a flyer advertising the Summer Garden Market in North Colonie.
North Colonie hosts a Summer Garden Market every Tuesday and Thursday from 10am-12pm up through August 8.
  • What? North Colonie Summer Garden Market
  • When? Every Tuesday & Thursday through August 8th from 10am-12pm
  • Where? Walker Field concession stand
  • Why? To provide fresh produce to students, families and community members
  • How much? Free of charge, but any donations made will go back to the district gardens

Farm to School Facilitator:

Meet Mrs. Amber Cost! She has been a chemistry teacher in North Colonie for more than 15 years and this year she is taking on a new role as our Farm to School Facilitator! What is that? We’ll let her explain!

About the Gardens:

The North Colonie Central School District has six gardens used not only to supply food to our cafeterias and classrooms, but also to community members as well. There is an excitement around the district to bring education to our students that is centered around food, nutrition, cooking and local produce.

Shaker High School Garden

Students tend to a flower bed in the SHS garden.
Students pour new mulch into a raised bed.
Students weed a bed in the SHS garden.
Farm to School Facilitator Amber Cost and students pour new mulch into a bed.
Students harvest fresh produce from the SHS garden.
One of the Shaker athletic teams helps clean up the SHS garden in the spring.

The flagship garden of the district, the Shaker High School garden has been in place for about 7 years now. It has grown to 16 raised beds and 5 fruit trees with plans for continued growth.

Blue Creek Garden

An image of a tomato growing in the Blue Creek garden.
A tomato grows in the Blue Creek garden.
An image of a heart made out of rocks that were painted by students.
The centerpiece of the garden at Blue Creek is a heart made out of rocks that were painted by students.
An image of a fruit tree in the Blue Creek garden.
A fruit tree flourishes in the Blue Creek garden.

The garden at Blue Creek Elementary School has been rejuvenated with the help of students who are members of Girls Scouts as a project that they took on. We will be participating in the Farm to Institution New York State (FINYS) specifically with the Blue Creek garden as the focus.

Shaker Middle School Garden

An image of four raised garden beds at Shaker Middle School.
Four raised garden beds grow during the summer at Shaker Middle School.
An image of tomatoes growing in the Shaker Middle School Garden.
Tomatoes continue to grow in the Shaker Middle School Garden.
An image of a raised garden bed at the Shaker Middle School Garden.
The garden beds looking good despite the heat this summer.
An image of large yellow squash growing.
Large yellow squash which will soon be harvested from the Shaker Middle School Garden.
An image of one of the garden beds flourishing.
The garden beds looking good despite the heat this summer.

Shaker Middle School’s garden has been in place for a number of years with five raised beds. Currently there is yellow squash and tomatoes that are nearly ready to be harvested.

Latham Ridge Outdoor Learning Space & Garden

An image of a bench and stones that make up a fake stream.
The outdoor learning space at Latham Ridge.
An image of two garden beds and a scarecrow at Latham Ridge.
Garden beds grow fresh produce and herbs at Latham Ridge.
An image of a garden bed with plentiful greens growing in it.
The garden beds at Latham Ridge grow fresh produce.
An image of a wooden bridge crossing over a fake stream in an outdoor learning space.
Students can cross the wooden bridge over the “stream” in the outdoor learning space.
An image of Mrs. Paige Rossi working in the garden at Latham Ridge.
Mrs. Paige Rossi works in the garden at Latham Ridge.
An image of a wooden wall that serves as a music wall in the outdoor learning space at Latham Ridge.
The music wall is a popular space for students at Latham Ridge.

Latham Ridge students have enjoyed both a garden and an outdoor learning space for a couple of years now. Innovation lab teacher Paige Rossi has helped spearhead use of the space. In addition to the garden beds, there is a music wall, weather devices and other sensory features for students to enjoy and learn from in the center courtyard.

Loudonville Garden

An image of raised beds at the newly installed Loudonville Elementary School.
Gardens begin to grow at Loudonville Elementary School.
An image of a thyme plant.
A thyme plant grows in the Loudonville garden.
An image of four small cherry tomatoes growing on a vine.
Cherry tomatoes grow during the summer in the Loudonville garden.
An image of the newly installed Loudonville garden beds.
The district’s newest garden, at Loudonville Elementary School, begins to take shape.
An image of an herb growing in the garden.
Vegetables and herbs start to grow in the Loudonville Garden.

Loudonville Elementary School has the district’s newest garden which was installed in 2024. It consists of four raised beds, similar to those at Latham Ridge.

Boght Hills Garden

An image of an employee from Forts Ferry Farm teaching students how to plant garlic.
John from Forts Ferry Farm teaches Boght Hills students how to plant garlic in the fall.
An image of a student planting a bulb of garlic in the garden.
A Boght Hills student plants a bulb of garlic in the garden.
An image of students sitting around a picnic table and learning about garlic from their health teacher.
Boght Hills students learn about the different qualities of garlic from health teacher Ms. Moran.

Boght Hills Elementary School has one raised bed, but it is a rather large square bed. Students planted garlic in the fall with the help of our community partners at Forts Ferry Farm. Innovation lab teacher Stacey Shepard has been doing work with her students in the garden as well.