By Emma Sweeney, Communications Coordinator

Learning has become so much more than just the four walls of a classroom. Ask any teacher and they will tell you the value of getting students outdoors and learning about the world around them. Delta Farm Roots, a revolutionary school farm, has taken education to the next level encouraging students to embrace outdoor experiential learning.

Delta Farm Roots is a unique outdoor learning space of 8 acres in Delta, where high school students can learn about farming practices, the environment and engaging with the community. It's a hands on learning experience, but they're also making countless connections to the curriculum such as science, geography, business, socials and environmental science to name a few. Students can earn dual credit towards their high school graduation and three to four credits at Kwantlen University for Agriculture 1150 or a Foundational Science course.

They also learn about the importance of teamwork, leadership and communication as they work alongside each other. The students are essentially running a sustainable agriculture business, complete with crops to plant, maintain and harvest, and produce to market and sell. Farm Roots students visit the Farm every second day and their regular high schools on the other days. In conjunction with the high school students, there is also a program for younger students to learn in the garden, which is run by two elementary teachers. 

I'm met at the garden by Brooke Moore, District Principal of Inquiry and Innovation at the Delta School District, who runs the program along with a group of teachers. Three years ago, Brooke was tasked with creating a school garden area out of this patch of land, which was mostly inhabited by a tangle of blackberries. Fast forward to today and it has been completely transformed into a working farm and educational experience for students, thanks to Brooke and many partners and volunteers. It is now a thriving part of the community, complete with a roadside farm stand for people to purchase the produce grown by students. 

The garden is set against a beautiful backdrop of Delta behind what used to be an old elementary school. They have converted the school into part classroom for the elementary students and part working indoor garden space, with seedlings and lights set up for the high school students.

Brooke explains that despite the surrounding farmland in the area, not all the students that attend Farm Roots are from farm families. For many, this is the first time they have harvested something they have grown themselves. In addition to learning practical hands on farming techniques, this program also allows students to engage in social issues they might take a special interest in, such as environmental studies and food security. Students are encouraged to come up with their own ideas for garden design and marketing, which helps them take ownership of the project. They're also learning that this isn't just a fun place to work outside, but that it's possible to make a profit from growing, harvesting and selling these crops. "They're learning that crops like garlic can be very lucrative", says Brooke with a laugh. "There's a real world element to this learning." 

This kind of learning encourages collaboration – Brooke tells me that their hope is to make this program an intergenerational affair, with plans to eventually connect with seniors from the community to participate alongside the students. It’s all about building community, and certainly this small patch of land is doing just that in a big way.