Carrie Frank, Director

Dover-Eyota Public Schools in Minnesota grows some of their own vegetables hydroponically, right next to the serving line in the cafeteria! Carrie Frank, Food and Nutrition Director, has taken the idea of promoting locally grown foods to a new level, quite literally. In May, she purchased a “vertical garden”, a tower type display of greens and plants and placed them close to the students in the cafeteria. This year the vertical garden featured salad greens and strawberries and will expand to herbs and additional assortments of other greens in the coming school year. Carrie’s staff services four of the vertical gardens over a 4-6 week growth cycle, utilizing hydroponics. The students enjoy the opportunity to see the plants growing on the towers.