The Cukes from Me...to You

Did you know that this fresh organic produce was picked by your children today? The UB program at NMH has a local garden that produces food for UB students and staff. The seeds that are planted in the garden are donated by High Mowing organic seeds. The High Mowing company produces 60+ varieties of seeds each year on their farm in Wolcott, Vermont. The seeds are tested in a house lab where germination and purity tests are performed in order to ensure that the seeds are 100% organic.

How did these seeds become cucumbers? The field in which the crops are planted was provided by NMH. They plowed the field and fertilized with manure from their grass feed cows. Viny plants like the cucumbers are planted on the edges, so they don't interfere with the rest of the plants. The two types of cucumbers that are planted in our garden are Euro and Pickling Cucumbers. Volunteer students and staff make sure the crops have enough water and are weed free. The farm is totally organic; there are no pesticides or herbicides added to the crops.

To get here, the food was transported by the students that volunteer to harvest the crops. No non-renewable resources were wasted! Fun fact: the seeds from cucumbers are reusable, which means you can plant them over and over. Sharon, our farm coordinator, says: "Other than weeding, planting your own food is very easy."