Waterville High School career and technical education/agriculture teacher Mia Thomsen demonstrates how to use the iPonic iGrow 800 Greenhouse Controller to regulate the temperature for the school's new greenhouse in October 2022.
Waterville High School career and technical education/agriculture teacher Mia Thomsen puts together shelving for the school's new greenhouse in October 2022.
The new greenhouse under construction at the Waterville School District in July 2022.
Empire Press file photo
WATERVILLE — These plants are ripe for the picking: tomatoes, jalapenos, bell peppers, rosemary, thyme, basil, summer squash, petunia baskets, flower packs, lavender, hydrangeas, and aloe vera.
The Waterville High School Future Farmers of America (FFA) will sell all these plants during a sale from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday at the school greenhouse located on North Chelan Avenue, behind the Rejniak Building. Individual plants will cost $10 or less and baskets, $40 or less.
Plant proceeds support Waterville High School FFA students. Students attend state and national conventions, where Waterville FFA members network with other FFA students and leaders, according to Rachel Shrauger, substitute FFA advisor.
Waterville High School career and technical education/agriculture teacher Mia Thomsen demonstrates how to use the iPonic iGrow 800 Greenhouse Controller to regulate the temperature for the school's new greenhouse in October 2022.
Empire Press file photo/Kimberly Katovich
The plant sale is the first for the Waterville FFA. In October 2022, the Waterville High School installed a new 18-by-36-foot greenhouse, making the plant sale possible.
The more than $150,000 greenhouse was mostly for the plant biology class, said agriculture education teacher Mia Thomsen, in an October interview. In the same interview, Thomsen credited donations from Northwest Farm Credit Services, Waterville Lions Club, Waterville Booster Club, and the Badger Mountain 57 Masonic Lodge. A capital projects levy also brought in funding from taxpayers.
Waterville High School career and technical education/agriculture teacher Mia Thomsen puts together shelving for the school's new greenhouse in October 2022.
Empire Press file photo/Kimberly Katovich
“We are really excited to bring a plant sale from the school to Waterville,” Shrauger said.
Thomsen and students of Thomsen’s classes, which included most FFA members, cared for the plants starting in November, according to Payton Dunning, president of the Waterville High School FFA.
“We are such a small, tight-knit community. You’re supporting our small community, (FFA) club, and school (by buying plants),” Dunning said.
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