The smell of fresh produce, the kind of aromas you only get from careful cultivation, wafted through the air at Sunset Elementary School as parents picked up their children, while a handful of students were hard at work at Sunset’s Mini Farmer’s Market.

Friday was the first time fourth and fifth grade students at Sunset Elementary set up shop to sell what they began growing last year under the guidance of computer science and Classroom 2 Careers teacher Jez Krubeck. A block grant from the USDA through the University of Wyoming Extension allowed them to construct a geodesic greenhouse to pack full of plants last spring.

“This project is a perfect example of how we can make learning meaningful by connecting classroom knowledge to real-world skills,” said Superintendent Vernon Orndorff in a press release connecting the endeavor to Gov. Mark Gordon’s RIDE initiative.

As school started last month students learned about weeding and harvesting, like where to pinch leaves off mint and oregano and to twist tomatoes off the vine, as well about composting the dead plants and rotating crops for soil health.

Students smiled as they served parents and community members alike. They handed back change (all produce was $1 for quick math) and some customers even took the time to share tips and tricks with studious young clerks — boiling artichokes is the best way to prepare them, a kind woman recommended — while another congratulated the students after touring the greenhouse. 

Sunset Elementary harvested and donated some of their yield this summer, Krubeck said as he supervised the students, while some teachers would also come by and enjoy the produce. The students grew “more than we can possibly use.”

He added cucumbers will likely not be planted in the greenhouse next year, as they put in two plants which spread more than expected. He said they’re “everywhere, they’re over everything.”

Okra and tomatoes also grew well, with the latter reaching 10-12 feet.

Plants are also thriving just outside the greenhouse with wheat and corn growing strong. A $5,000 grant from the Daughters of the American Revolution has allowed the students to buy seeds and machines like grinders which will allow the students to turn the wheat into bread.

“Non-GMO heirloom seeds are not cheap … we’ll dissect tomatoes, and we’re gonna pick out the seeds and dry them for next year, the same with the cucumbers and all the other ones, so we can just kind of keep the cycle going with those seeds,” Krubeck said.

Last week they worked to prepare mint, oregano and rosemary for hydroponics kits that will be placed in the hallways, “hoping that all the hallways smell like amazing mint all winter,” Krubeck said. 

The project helps students see agriculture as a career and introduces them to where their food comes from, he said. For instance, with the bread, they can trace it all the way back to the wheat they harvested. They’ll know how the grain is winnowed and how to separate the chaff from the wheat, “how it grinds, what it looks like, what it smells like, when you cook it, all of those sensory things are, I think, important for these guys, especially in regards to your food.”

Behind Krubeck a young student picks up the requested produce and hands them to a group of moms supporting the effort. 

The tomatoes have been the most popular, student Capri Edwards said, in her opinion she’d like to see people buy some more mint as it had not attracted many buyers. 

On Friday, as the student volunteers left for the weekend, Krubeck took over the stand as community supporters continued to gather in a steady line.