USA: TEXAS - VIDEO - IDEA San Benito Students Learn To Grow Crops In School's First Hydroponic Farm

October 16, 2023

By: Bella Michaels

From farm to table, that's what students at IDEA San Benito are learning through their farm program on campus.

All food grown at their hydroponic farm goes straight to the school cafeteria for students to eat.

"How can we get them to taste it before they don't like it with their eyes. That would help to bring down any of the obesity, health issues we have, especially here in the Valley," IDEA San Benito Farmer Priscilla Carbajal said.

Carbajal says it's important to start healthy habits at a young age.

As the season begins to change, students are preparing their fall and winter season crops, like celery, kale, broccoli and four different types of cauliflower.

This is IDEA San Benito's first hydroponic school farm, which means it grows plants using a water-based nutrient solution rather than soil.

"We currently have about 3,000 lettuce heads growing, so it's all in a vertical system, which is very different from just an outdoor horizontal system," Carbajal said.

The overall goal is to teach students more sustainable food growing and be mindful of what they put in their bodies.

Watch the video above for the full story.