Posted on 2025-11-20 22:46:03.262 +0000 UTC
High Prairie School Division (HPSD) is proud to announce the official launch of its new vertical farm, ๐๐ฅ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฐ๐ข๐ง๐ , with the first harvest taking place this week. The project marks an exciting milestone for the Division, introducing an innovative, technology-driven approach to agriculture that will directly benefit students, schools, and the wider community. ๐ฑ
EW Pratt High School students enrolled in ๐๐ ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐ข๐๐ฌ and ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐ข๐๐ฌ will take an active role in the operation, assisting with planting, maintaining, and harvesting crops throughout the year. In addition to production, students will gain experience in marketing and preparing produce for sale, providing valuable insight into the full farm-to-market process. This direct involvement provides students with meaningful, real-world experience in controlled environment agriculture, sustainable food production, and emerging agri-technology.ย
The farmโs initial crops will be ๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐ and ๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐ง ๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐. All produce grown by Always Growing is cultivated without chemicals or pesticides, ensuring clean, safe, high-quality greens for students and the community. Always Growing is expected to produce approximately ๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ ๐ฐ๐๐๐ค.
Always Growing lettuce will be provided to the Divisionโs four school salad bars as well as sold to local wholesale markets and community partners.
In keeping with HPSDโs commitment to community support, the vertical farm will donate ๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ก ๐ฐ๐๐๐ค to the High Prairie & District Food Bank Society and ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก ๐๐ซ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ข๐ & ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ญ ๐๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ซ๐๐งโ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฌ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ข๐ฅ, helping increase access to fresh, healthy produce. 
This project would not have been possible without the support of key local partners and businesses. ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฑ๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ง๐ค๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐๐ง๐ข๐ณ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ for making this venture possible for our students:
โข Buchanan Family Foundation
โข Bob Buchan
โข Rod and Danielle Marx
โข X-Cel Energy Services Ltd.
HPSD also extends a special ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ง๐ค-๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐ง๐๐ง ๐๐๐๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐, ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐๐ข๐ฉ๐๐ฅ ๐จ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ข๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฃ๐๐๐ญ๐ฌ, whose vision, leadership, and dedication brought this project from concept to reality.
With its first harvest happening today, Always Growing represents an exciting step forward for student learning, local food production, and community collaboration across the region.
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