What began as a first-time entry into the Ministry of Agriculture's inter-school competition has grown into a defining feature of daily life at Sir Luther Wynter Pre-School in St. John's. The school won that debut competition — and has not looked back since.
Children as young as two tend an active garden that produces carrots, spinach, kale, bok choy, lettuce, tomatoes, and cassava. Students harvest the crops themselves and consume much of the produce the same day. Teachers say the programme delivers benefits well beyond food awareness, with children developing fine motor skills, expanding their vocabulary, and cultivating a growing sense of responsibility toward living things.
Community volunteer Lois Henry, known as Pat, has been a steady presence in the garden since her granddaughter attended the school. She continues to contribute both her knowledge and labour to the programme.
The school's garden is the subject of the first episode of Agricultural Roots: A Look Inside Primary Schools' Agricultural Programmes, a documentary series produced and distributed by Antigua.News. Schools across Antigua and Barbuda with existing agriculture programmes are invited to reach out to Antigua.News to be considered for future episodes.
