Since it’s been around, BHS Farm has been a critical tool for anyone studying agriculture. In the last two years, its exponential growth has made it an even more significant part of the curriculum for an increasingly diverse range of students. BHS Farm originally consisted of only farmland and agricultural components. Three years ago, however, AP Biology teacher Laura Turngren decided to get involved by keeping the chickens and ducks her students hatched and making them a part of the farm. Now, the project has grown even more, becoming a collaborative effort between clubs, classes and anyone else who wants to participate.

The habitat is located in the courtyard, where Earth Council students have built garden beds with fresh greens for the chickens and ducks. Special Education classes have also participated by periodically feeding these greens to the animals.

“They’re involved in gathering the eggs during the school day and making sure that their food and water is always full; so it incorporates students who are learning some life skills and responsibility tasks,” Turngren said.

The involvement spans even beyond high school students, such as little broncos—who visit the courtyard as part of their curriculum. Staff also help in maintaining the habitats, and Turngren hopes they will get even more involved in the future.

“So we’re starting to build more student and staff involvement, but it’ll continue to grow with time. The goal is to have more science teachers and even other staff in the building that are willing to help out, because it’s a lot of work,” Turngren said.

Turngren ultimately hopes that the project will not only develop students’ responsibility but also serve as a tool for understanding where their food comes from. By understanding the process of how items get on shelves, she hopes students can become more mindful of what they put in their bodies and the health choices they make.

“We have the luxury of going to the store and buying what we want, and it just, magically appears there. But knowing more of the backstory of where it comes from creates some awareness that maybe the students wouldn’t even consider before having this experience,” Turngren said.

In the future, they’ll begin selling the eggs they produce to offset prices of maintaining the farm and provide culinary classes with any excess ones.

“We’re selling the eggs from the chickens in the ducks to staff members, just as a fundraiser,” Turngren said, “these experiences are very common in rural school districts, but by being able to bring that experience to a more urban school, Barrington is kind of setting the bar.”