New Additions to Charter

Staff Writer: Katherine Angeline

The ducks are getting their new feathers, the chickens are expanding, the sheeps and goat have given birth. The bees are creating honey and the plants are growing quickly, with the help of the fish fertilizing. It seems as though Charter is a growing population containing mammals.

Mr. Bill runs the greenhouse and is in charge of the livestock, these are some questions answered that I have been wondering. 

Are you planning on adding more animals?

A: “Not right now, other than the breeding from lambing season. So we might have more lambs next year, but other than that I don’t think we’ll get anymore animals at the moment since we’re kind of over-populated…

How many different types of fish are in the greenhouse?

A: “There are 4 types and there are 100 Tilapia in the aquaponics tank, but in about another month I will sell them to a restaurant and maybe to some staff members, to eat. The other fish are just little goldfish and theres a little shark and some  little mali fish.

What do you plan on doing with all the plants, after they are full grown?

A: “We sell them at green gathering and after that we plant them in raised beds, the 12 raised beds we have outside. Each year the students plant them, then what they grow is harvested and  taken to the food bank, the Chester County Food Bank. So the food bank probably gets a couple hundred pounds each year, so it works out well."

Do you think you will ever expand the greenhouse?

A: “There is a possibility, we are kind of growing out of it. So we might expand one side or get another greenhouse, if the program takes off. But what I’m trying to do is connect the STEM center to the greenhouse, so that students can learn or study over here then in a book.”

Has a student ever sheared one of the sheep?

A: “No, not yet, but on May 7th we have a professional sheep shearer coming, who is going to sheer all the sheep. The lower grades will come down and he usually has one of the kids get involved and the kid holds his hand while he sheers.”

So I guess that we will have new babies next year, including new plants to watch over. Students get a hands on experience, taking care of the livestock, watering and planting the plants. It especially helps students by letting them decide if they would like to go into a life of animal care. Charter is definitely like a farm and a half, it's a school that contains animals and edible plants.  Having them is pretty strange but also fun, if you are lucky you may catch one of the animals doing something strange.