Horticulture (Islesboro)

  • Students plant, maintain and harvest the garden & orchard on campus

  • Interact with local businesses and experts in a variety of professions

  • Produce food for use in the school cafeteria and to be sold at the community farmer’s market

Description

The horticulture and sustainability classes at Islesboro Central School offer a wide variety of experiences. Students learn basic and advanced gardening skills – from seed starting and plant propagation to pruning fruit trees and grape vines. Students learn to operate basic garden tools and machinery safely, order and inventory supplies and operate a year-round greenhouse. The garden and orchard supply food for the school cafeteria, staff and students; produce is also sold at the community farmer’s market. 

Students are heavily involved in the current redesign of the enclosed garden/orchard plot, as well as deciding which programs (garden greenhouses, aquaponics, aquaculture, animal husbandry, beekeeping, composting, etc.) are sustainable and practical at our site. The horticulture program at Islesboro collaborates with many other classes, from installing sculpture in the garden to mapping the space to performing science experiments or making grape juice or apple cider in outdoor education class. 

Concurrent Enrollments

  • Kennebec Valley Community College

Business Connections

Potential Careers

  • Agricultural workers, technicians, engineers
  • Soil and plant scientists
  • Farmers
  • Tree trimmers & pruners
  • Food scientists
  • Environmental engineers
  • Nursery or greenhouse operators
  • Landscapers, landscape architects
  • Farm or aquaculture animal specialists
  • Sustainability specialists