Farm & Garden

Begun as a simple gardening club in 2005, the SHS Farm & Gardens have since grown to a main campus attraction and signature educational program at SHS, offering opportunities for students of all ages to engage with academic theory, ethical questions, and environmentally-friendly practices, all in a hands-on setting.

Courses utilizing this agro-classroom are geared to ensure that students grasp the core concepts intellectually, but also comprehend on a personal and spiritual scale their individual responsibility in sustaining and cultivating natural assets.

Organic Garden

Maintained and operated by Sacred Heart students and faculty year around as part of a curricular program, the 40,000 square-foot garden is located on the south side of campus and encompasses a wide variety of vegetables and herbs grown and harvested for use in the campus cafeteria, for local food donations, and sold at the campus farmer’s market.

Among the produce under cultivation are:

Tomatoes, red and yellow	Chard
Squash, yellow	Kale
Eggplant, white	Onion
Chili Peppers, red and yellow	Rosemary
Zucchini	Basil, green and purple
Carrots	Oregano
Lettuce, variety

SHS is the first school in San Mateo County to be approved by the Department of Environmental Health Services Division to use campus-grown produce in onsite dining. Campus provider Epicurean has also partnered with SHS to demonstrate farm-to-fork programs for local chefs, and to instruct younger students—through the immediate preparation of foods following harvest—about healthy eating.

Animal Farm

Located on the north side of campus between the LMS and SHP schools, the SHS Farm consists of a small barn, four connected animal pens, a chicken coop, and tool shed. Populated by both furred and feathered animals, the SHS farm provides opportunity for students of all ages to gain hands-on experience with cycles of food cultivation, production, and consumption.

Currently, the SHS Farm is home to:

Goats & Kids
Miniature Horse
Chickens & Roosters
Turkey
Rabbits

Animals are cared for by students and staff, under the guidance of program director Dr. Stewart Slafter, and serve an essential role in consumption of grounds clippings and rotational grazing, as well as manure production, utilized to fertilize the organic gardens and encourage increased production of fruit.