Potato Commission's Kids are Growing greenhouse program expanding into eastern Washington

Farm and Ranch November 13, 2009 The Washington Potato Commission’s Kids are Growing program is entering its fifth year and will itself be growing. The program as you may recall, involves providing greenhouses, a thousand dollars and potato seed to elementary schools.

Karen Bonaudi, assistant executive director of the Washington Potato Commission, says the first four years of the program focused on the Puget Sound area because students in those large urban areas are the most unfamiliar with agriculture, even gardening. But now;

Bonaudi: “This year when we went to the International Greenhouse Company and said are you going to be on again for the coming year, David George said as a matter of fact I am going to double my donation. So International Greenhouse is donating ten greenhouses to this year‘s competition and that allowed us to expand into eastern Washington. We have been hearing from other cities and other schools, “Me too. Me too.” So this allows us to do that.”

So this school year Bonaudi says four greenhouses will be given to elementary schools in the Puget Sound area, four in Spokane and two in the Tri-cities. That also means some new partners in eastern Washington.

Bonaudi: “The media partners are KXLY Radio and TV and KVEW in Tri-Cities.”

The grocery partner is Yoke’s Fresh Market.

That’s the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report. Brought to you in part by the Washington State Potato Commission. Nutrition today. Good health tomorrow. I’m Bob Hoff on the Northwest Ag Information Network.

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