Methacton High School

From Vision to Reality

It all started with a video.

“I showed my AP Environmental Science students a CNN clip about a couple in Boston growing lettuce for local restaurants using Freight Farms,” Steve recalls. “After a few years of showing it, I thought - why not us?”

He brought the idea next door to Jeremy, and they were off and running. With enthusiastic support from Methacton’s administration, and critical funding from their Education Foundation, the dream became a reality. “Support is everything,” Steve says. “We had champions at every level - from our superintendent and principal to our facilities crew and fellow teachers.”

A Custom-Built Course with Real Impact

Methacton’s Hydroponic Farming class is open to students in grades 9–12 and counts toward their STEM requirement. The only prerequisites: a passing grade in Environmental Science or concurrent enrollment in Biology. That accessibility is intentional.

The course merges rigorous science with practical applications. Students don’t just grow plants - they study plant biology, analyze data, examine global food systems, and understand how hydroponics intersects with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Business concepts like invoicing, marketing, and customer engagement are baked into the curriculum, giving students a 360-degree understanding of modern agriculture.

The class is divided into four units:

1. The Science of Hydroponics – Labs on chlorophyll, light spectrum, nutrient solutions

2. The Economics of Farming – Exploring costs, labor, and price volatility

3. Sustainability & Traditional Agriculture – Weighing pros and cons of various systems

4. Global Food Systems – Using the farm to examine real-world goals like Zero Hunger and Sustainable Cities

A Week in the Life at Windy Hill Farm

Students are split into groups of six—half in the farm, half in the classroom—and rotate every two weeks. Each day has a purpose:

• Monday & Tuesday: Harvesting 800+ plants, prepping CSA bags, logging data, and fulfilling orders for the Elmwood Park Zoo, Tosco’s Restaurant, and a local food pantry

• Wednesday: Wall cleaning, foam replacement, and equipment inspections

• Thursday: Transplanting and seeding -“the Zen day,” as students call it

• Friday: Deep cleaning, solution mixing, quality control, and calibrations

Every student gets a chance to lead as “Manager of the Week,” overseeing daily tasks, delegating responsibilities, and checking off completed assignments. They use a shared master calendar and visual guides posted in the farm to operate semi-independently.

Learning Beyond the Classroom

The farm has become a launchpad for student innovation.

Students helped design the farm’s branding and packaging, created instructional signage, and even helped define the curriculum itself. Other teachers bring their classes down to the farm for lessons, and students often volunteer outside of class hours. The farm has become a living lab and a magnet for community engagement.

Windy Hill Farm’s produce serves:

• The Elmwood Park Zoo: Students grow custom greens for animals, and take annual field trips to feed giraffes and tour the zoo’s commissary

• Tosco’s Restaurant: Sells romaine, iceberg, and fresh herbs sourced from the farm

• Faculty CSA: Teachers get salad bags and a side of ag education

• Food Pantries: Regular donations, including over 28 pounds in a single week

Data-Driven & Sustainability-Focused

From day one, Methacton’s team tracked weights, germination rates, yields, and wall-by-wall comparisons using spreadsheets. But now, they’re going deeper.

They’ve installed an EyeDro system to monitor energy usage and added a Shelly water monitor to track consumption. They’re even applying for a grant to install solar panels - not just to offset energy costs, but to create new learning opportunities.

Students are also reducing waste by blending failed seed pods into microgreen trays and analyzing the farm’s environmental footprint.

Final Thoughts

Methacton High School didn’t just add a Freight Farm. They built a full ecosystem that empowers students to grow, think, lead, and connect with their community.

As Steve puts it, “We always joke with the students, ‘Okay, Farmers, let’s go!’ But they’re not just farming. They’re building something real.”