Third Graders Head to Grow-a-Row

Third graders rolled up their sleeves while volunteering with America’s Grow-a-Row to harvest turnips for a cause they could feel proud of!

Grow-a-Row, a nonprofit operating 423 acres across four farm locations in New Jersey, donates fresh produce to food pantries and shelters across Hunterdon County while educating communities facing food insecurity on nutrition and healthy eating. Peck’s third graders volunteered at Grow-a-Row’s Milford farm for its final day of the harvest season, where they discovered the dedication and resilience it takes to cultivate a successful farm.

Third graders put Consideration of Others and Peck’s InDeCoRe values into action as they worked to harvest turnips that would go directly to people experiencing food scarcity. The experience also connected nicely to the grade’s essential question, “How do your experiences shape who you are?” Through their work, students saw firsthand that they have the power to make a difference in their communities.

In just two hours, Peck’s third graders harvested a remarkable 4,200 pounds of turnips, enough to feed 16,800 people, and so many that Grow-a-Row ran out of bins in which to carry them all! Third graders left with a sense of pride in the work they put in that day, knowing that they had a direct hand in improving their community.

“It takes true grit to harvest 4,200 pounds of turnips! Our third graders faced the physical challenge with courage and resilience, drawing on their determination and teamwork to put our InDeCoRe values into action,” said Third Grade Homeroom Teacher Nichole Bolio.