Monday, April 27, 2026
Mattawa’s F.J. McElligott Secondary School is gearing up for another season of growth in its unique learning environment, FJ’s Blooming Greenhouse.
Since 2014, the greenhouse has been producing annual plants and budding green thumbs thanks in large part to the efforts of dedicated educators and community members.
The greenhouse itself, which technically sits on Town of Mattawa property, was donated to the school by resident and council member Laura Ross on the condition that its use be tied to academics.
Retired teacher Martha Goodfellow has been instrumental to the operation of the greenhouse and its links to curriculum. It’s a role that Goodfellow continues to this day out of her love for gardening and working with youth.
Teacher Frank Salesio says initially students in science courses did much of the planting but more recently participation alternates yearly with a green industries class and a health and nutrition class. After the planting is done and after the last frost, the class tied to the greenhouse will plant the town planters, as well as some flower beds around the Mattawa community.
“During the planting phase, students prepare trays, mix soil, pot up seedlings, tag pots and plant vegetable seed carts,” Salesio says. “In the green industries class, we do units on horticulture and agriculture hands-on style. In health and nutrition there are units on eating patterns and trends and nutrition and health.”
Green industries student Elizabeth says, “It’s a very fun experience, and one that I don’t think a lot of high school students get. I’m very appreciative to have this experience. It’s just fun to learn about plants and get my hands dirty.”
Many different classes play roles in the operation and upkeep of the greenhouse, Salesio explains. “Co-op students have greenhouse placements from March until the end of the semester. Once all of the planting is done, their tasks focus on watering and maintaining the plants until they are all sold. As the season winds down, they help to clean up the greenhouse and do inventory in preparation for the next year.
“Construction classes will be called upon to help build and fix structure when needed, they will also build things like planters and trellises to sell to the public. The cooking classes use some of the herbs that we grow in the greenhouse in their recipes. There is nothing better than fresh home-grown herbs,” Salesio says.
Greenhouse production seems to expand every year. Goodfellow says this year F.J. McElligott students will plant 23,000 seedlings consisting of mostly bedding plants and some herbs and vegetables, 2,000 vegetable plants grown from seed, and create 200 hanging baskets and planters. The greenhouse employs an F.J. alumni post-secondary student each year to work full-time during the greenhouse season.
“We always open on the Friday before Mother's Day (May 8 this year) until mid-June or until we sell out,” Goodfellow said. “We are open 7 days a week, Monday to Friday 10 a.m. - 4p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. We also have a Facebook page, FJ's Blooming Greenhouse, feel free to join and follow.”
