Greenhouse

AB

Greenhouse

AB

Oilfields High School

Oilfields High School is revolutionizing rural farming with a vertical farm and biosecurity upgrades for a greener future.

Oilfields High School

Oilfields High School is revolutionizing rural farming with a vertical farm and biosecurity upgrades for a greener future.

The Problem

Oilfields High School has run an amazing specialized vertical farming program for several years, building and modifying a seacan to be filled with rows of shelves to host their plants. Students work on the farm for credit throughout the school year, growing large harvests regularly and selling their goods at local markets and to grocery stores. However, pests would frequently get into the building and destroy parts of their crops, the contamination meaning they would have to compost large amounts to ensure quality control.

The Solution

Students are building a biosecurity header house, an add-on room to their farm building where they can ensure pest control and more strict contamination procedures before people enter the main farm. Shop students and volunteers from the community have built the add-on by hand. With these more robust safety measures in place, the farm will be able to use more of their harvests and sell to more businesses, supplying their rural community with fresh, local produce.

Check out the farm’s website to learn more.

4

students and teachers worked to coordinate the project, while 75 other students in the vertical farm and shop programs were also involved.

5,700

estimated heads of lettuce will be grown in the next year. Before building the header house, they lost 30% of their crops due to pests and contaminants, but they’ve had a 0% loss rate since building it!

Lessons Learned

Rallying Volunteers

This was an ambitious project, and the small class knew they needed extra help. They went into their community and recruited the help of local retired construction workers who volunteered to help construct the headerhouse and teach the students building skills along the way. The vertical farming class also recruited students from the tech class to help with the build! This highlights the importance of teamwork, intergenerational knowledge sharing, and how we work better together.

You don’t have to be an expert!

This project was one of the most technical ones we saw this year. The science, engineering, and agriculture components of this project are quite sophisticated. But this group wants other schools to know that they weren’t experts in the beginning! They’ve been figuring it out as they go and one of the most important things that has allowed them to do this has been their outreach and connection building. They coordinated a field trip to Lethbridge Polytechnic and Olds College to get advice and recommendations on their project which really helped them envision how to scale this initiative.

“Since the students have been working on the project and sharing the knowledge with the community, the food bank stops by the school to take weekly orders. And Sobey’s in the next town already asked for our greens. Not only are our greens fresh, but they have told us our greens are superior in taste. This is also cutting down the transportation and energy costs for them.”

Cindy Watts, Teacher Lead

“This initiative also serves as a beacon for other schools and communities, proving that even in a small town, big ideas can flourish. The school isn't just teaching a skill—it’s planting the seeds for a greener, more self-sufficient future in Diamond Valley and beyond.”

Allison Biggs, Student Lead

Oilfields High School in the News

CTV News Article

Read about how they're connecting their vertical farm with their community.

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CBC News Video

Watch the video about how they're connecting their vertical farm with their community.

Watch Now

Western Wheel Article

Foothills School Division recognizes Country Food Mart - AG Foods for its hands-on support of Oilfields School’s vertical farm initiative.

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Students and community volunteers building an add-on room to their farm building.

Related Lesson Plan

English/Language Arts

Food, Agriculture & Land Use

Grade 10

SK, NU

Tomorrow’s Potential: Old Farmland’s Role in Carbon Reduction

Abandoned Farmland Restoration

Students will investigate abandoned farmland restoration as a climate solution through critical reading, analysis, and argument-building. Using articles and multimedia resources, students will examine how agricultural practices affect carbo... read more

Download Now!

Related Resource Guide

School Greenhouse Resource Guide

A practical guide to designing, building, and maintaining school greenhouses that enrich student learning and foster sustainability.

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