More ways to keep up with the latest news from Polk County
Public Schools: The Florida Department of Agriculture and
Consumer Services recently awarded Roosevelt Academy the
Community/School Garden grant. The grant is part of the
Specialty Crop Block Grant awarded by the United States
Department of Agriculture. The funding will be used to purchase
soil and nutrient testing equipment, soilless media for the
schools’ hydroponic farm, seeds and fertilizer. Students are
responsible for planting, pruning and maintaining the crops
grown at Roosevelt Farms, a school- based enterprise. The
vegetables and herbs are sold the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each
month at the Lake Wales Farmers Market and at the Lake Wales
Care Center. But beyond traditional gardens, students maintain
vegetation grown using hydroponic growing methods. The literal
interpretation of the word “hydroponics” is working water. In
Greek, the word “hydro” means water and “pronos” means labor.
Simply, hydroponic gardening is the art of gardening without