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The white 12-metre shipping container beside the parking lot at Kelowna Middle School might be mistaken for a portable classroom, but it's really a tiny farm.
Inside, it's a brightly lit hydroponic modular growing operation with rows of kale, lettuce and herbs.
"It's very cool," said grade nine student Tarran Bates. "We're hoping to grow food for kids at school and hopefully get it out to people who need food at home."
Teacher Karla Lockwood runs the program with a group of eight students.
It came to be thanks to a grant from Loblaws Presidents Choice Children's Charity.
"Their mandate is feeding bodies and minds of students, so we're trying right now to teach about agriculture," said Lockwood.
She's designed a program to make the most of it.
It brings in classes from all different areas of study to give them a chance to plant something and watch it grow.
"We plant seeds with those classes," explained Lockwood, "and then two weeks later we transplant the seedlings with those classes and four weeks after that, they harvest."
KLO Principal Ashley Ragoonaden managed to secure the grant for the school three years ago, so he's thrilled to see the container farm up and running.
"This is about learning," he said. "To get students out of their classes and come and learn in a more experiential and holistic manner."
Basil harvested from the farm is being dried to use in recipes in cooking classes. And children have taken produce home to their families.
The school is also planning to create hampers and sell them, so for every family who buys one, another would go to a family in need. And there are discussions about creating a veggie subscription box for parents.
Another side benefit is that it gets kids interested in some healthy food.
"Some kale smoothies are actually delicious," said Ragoonaden, with a smile.
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