Chester-based business casts a fishy plan to reel in Fort Mill School District students
One fishy plan could bring chemistry, biology and math education together with employment opportunities for special needs students in Fort Mill schools.
Growing Joy Farms is in conversation with the Fort Mill School District to add a new site on district-owned property near Sugar Creek Elementary School and Nation Ford High School. Growing Joy is an aquaponic and regenerative farming operation based in Chester.
“Aquaponics is nothing more than aquaculture, which is fish, and hydroponic technique, which is growing in water,” said Jeremy Haltiwanger with Growing Joy. “No soil.”
A new facility would start out only with aquaponics, but it could add varieties of produce once it’s running. Plans involve two greenhouses to start along with restrooms and classrooms at about 5,600 square feet behind the pond across from Sugar Creek. Haltiwanger presented plans to the school board last week.
“We will construct a greenhouse on the school district’s land,” he said. “The operations will be run by us at Growing Joy, with the assistance of the district students. We will incorporate learning opportunities throughout that.”
All the produce from the operation will be sold back to the district for use in its cafeterias.
Growing Joy began in 2019 to grow food and create an inclusive environment.
“The reason we started it was to hire people with special needs,” Haltiwanger said.
Two employees are starting in June and another will come on later, he said. The partnership with Fort Mill schools would involve formation of an educational nonprofit, with grants or private funding used for startup costs. Growing Joy could create a synthetic symbiotic ecosystem.
Haltiwanger has two children who are district students and will add a third this fall. He has a separate business and the Chester farm. Work-based learning coordinator for the district Susan Brackett found out about Growing Joy and contacted Haltiwanger.
There are 36 special needs students at Catawba Ridge and Nation Ford high schools who would be the initial focus for the new school project. Other field trips and lessons in plant science, biology, chemistry and other areas could allow for K-12 students to use the facility. District clubs could be used for marketing.
The school board heard a presentation on the plan but didn’t vote on it. Several board members expressed their interest in seeing the plan grow.
Board member Anthony Boddie knows Haltiwanger from work together during the COVID-19 pandemic that produced tons of produce for people in need.
“I know the authenticity of his heart,” Boddie said. “What you see here is, this is Jeremy and where his heart is.”
Board member Brian Murphy offered his support for the plan.
“There seem to be so many benefits to the school system,” Murphy said. “From the fresh quality produce, that’s pretty amazing to be able to have in the cafeteria system. But that wouldn’t even be the main one for me.”
The bigger benefit, he said, would be a business that sets an example in employing people who other businesses might hesitate to hire. Work at the site could give special needs students critical job experience they can put on a resume, which in turn could help in the search for future jobs.
“Which is the ultimate in independence,” Murphy said.
The plan would involve a new driveway cut to the site. A new driveway there could be needed for any potential future uses of the property anyway. The partnership would operate through a land lease between the district and farm. Continued employment past the initial partnership phase for students would be an end goal.
