These vegetable gardens are the result of the hard work of Sheridan students, teachers, and staff. (Photos provided by Sheridan Community Schools)
Submitted by Sheridan Community Schools
Last school year, Sophie Lindley, RDN and Farm to School Coordinator for the Indiana Department of Education, reached out to schools across the state about Indiana’s Food Day for the 2025-26 school year. The year’s theme is corn, a Hoosier staple.
She encouraged schools to highlight corn in the classrooms and the cafeterias. She even offered to send corn seeds to schools that requested them. Sheridan Community Schools (SCS) quickly took advantage of the opportunity to jumpstart a school garden that could feed Sheridan students daily.
Seeds and information arrived at the end of last school year, and planting began in June. The middle and high school cafeteria staff, along with other staff, students, and an army of volunteers, literally helped to get these gardens off the ground by donating starter plants, assembling the starter containers, delivering compost and soil, and moving the assembled plant containers.
Over the hot summer, this food-to-table garden was watered and nurtured by Nancy Mosna, the Food and Nutrition Director, Sarah Freeland, SHS cafeteria manager, other SHS cafeteria staff, and central office staff. It truly was a team effort to get this garden to blossom.
Once school began, the garden produced corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, jalapeño peppers, basil, rosemary, and lettuce. These vegetables and herbs have been used in the school salad bar, grab-and-go sandwiches, main entrees, homemade pizza, and side dishes.
Though the garden has produced delicious foods for Sheridan students, it has also been a learning experience. Discoveries on proper spacing and what foods grow well next to each other have been made, and now that school is back in session, students are even taking an active role in maintaining the garden and the produce that is being brought directly to the trays of the students. Students are getting hands-on experiences of the reality of food production and sustainable, healthy foods. When it is time to plant more, students will take that on as well.
The Sheridan Food to Table project has been a shining example of teamwork across the school district. From transporting to nurturing, from cafeteria to central office, everyone played a role in turning a simple idea into a flourishing garden. As Indiana Food Day approaches, Sheridan can proudly celebrate knowing they’ve not only embraced this year’s Hoosier inspired theme, but also planted the seeds of a tradition that will continue to grow.
