Donation Helps Flatonia Kids Learn Aeroponics

Pictured above is the new Tower Garden at Flatonia Elementary with the second grade class on the left and kindergarten on the right. Pictured with the second grade class on the left are (front, from left) Kevin Castro, Hunter Moeller, Abigail Samaniego, Adley Kainer, (middle row) Mario Mendez, Kaylee Ramirez, Kolbie Wilbanks, Javion Henderson, Parker Baumbach, Mitchell Cherry, (back row) Marycarmen Macias, Lillian Vinklarek, Yaritzy Soto, Hunter Gabler and Teacher Marci Dunk. Pictured with the kindergarten class on the right are (front, from left) Elijah Smith, Daniella Rodriguez, Brinley Suhr, Finlay McIntosh, Avery Kianer, (middle row) Esmeralda Garcia, Cecila Hansen, Hollis Brower, Savannah Dees, Liv Stryk, Juan Carlos Luna, (back row) Kurt and Cami Kainer, Kaston Tipp, Jaiden Tovar, Layton Kessler, Madison Kreidel, Melanie Manzano, Stryker Targac, Teacher Debbie Kelly and Karen Schobel of Tower Garden. Photos by Andy Behlen Second grade teacher Marci Dunk helps second grader Adley Kainer harvest some lettuce. Adley and Avery Kainer, daughters of Drs. Kurt and Cami Kainer, show off some of their harvest.

Flatonia Elementary students are learning aeroponic gardening thanks to a generous donation from Oak Grove Veterinary Clinic.

Drs. Kurt and Cami Kainer of Oak Grove Vet Clinic provided the school with a Tower Garden, an aeroponic garden system. The Tower Garden by Juice Plus employs aeroponics, a technology used by NASA to grow food in space. The plant roots grow in a mist environment instead of soil.

The manufacturer touts the device as “the future of farming,” using just two percent of the water and 10 percent of the space needed to grow crops conventionally in the ground.

Karen Schobel, a Tower Garden representative based in Columbus, said the company is partnering with local businesses like Oak Grove Vet Clinic to place a Tower Garden in classrooms across the country.

“If there are other donors out there who want to put them in a classroom, we can do that any time of year,” she said. “We have a ton of grant options.”

Schobel said her company provides the school with lesson plans for math, literacy and science that incorporate the tower garden.

The large Tower Garden model that the Kainers bought for Flatonia Elementary comes with lighting so plants can be grown indoors. The one in Flatonia is located inside the Elementary Library. The kindergarten and second grade classes are using it to grow a crop of lettuce. The students harvested their first crop on Monday, May 2.

“There are a lot of kids who live in the city and have never seen a garden, so I think it’s really good for kids,” said Dr. Cami Kainer.

Anyone interested in providing a Tower Garden for other local schools, or to learn more about the Tower Garden, email Schobel at kkschobel@ sbcglobal.net.