Episode 85: Henry Lau, Windermere Organic Garden in Vancouver, B.C., Canada

Published: Dec. 6, 2011, 9:33 p.m.

b'Henry Lau is 17 years old and in Grade 12 at Windemere Secondary School in Vancouver, British Columbia. He belongs to the Windermere Organic Garden, a student-led initiative that provides food for the school cafeteria while focusing on the importance of organic practices and educating students about food and agriculture. The garden has a 16x20 foot greenhouse, 13 garden beds, an aquaponics system, and an industrial-sized composter. When senior students started the project 5 years ago, Henry knew nothing about gardening, but the plants starting to pop up in his teachers office caught his eye. He found that agriculture was an art, and watching something as small as a seed turn into a meal was an amazing experience that gave him a better appreciation of food. He credits his experience with the garden to a great deal of personal growth and admires that it can be an open and peaceful space for everyone at the school. Henry feels fortunate to live in a community dedicated to food security and the growing green movement, and when he graduates, he hopes to continue studies in food and nutrition while working in the local community garden and tree orchard. This episode was sponsored by Jones Family Farms.'