Opelika High School Farm

Almost two years ago Opelika City Schools started the process of developing the wooded area behind the Opelika High School baseball field and track into usable land for the Agriculture program.

Aerial view of the wooded area behind the OHS baseball field and track.

The first step in that process was to have the underbrush cleared so that we could see the land and get a better understanding of the terrain and layout.

View of the land after the underbrush had been cleared.

Once we were able to walk/drive through the land, we were able to start developing a plan for what and where things might be able to go.  The decision was made to use a portion of the land for trails and plant identification.  Another section would be clear cut to be used as a school farm. 

After clear cutting the land to prepare it for a future farm.

The clear cut land was seeded to prevent erosion while the other pieces of the puzzle were being worked on.  In the end, we wanted the farm to have a variety of projects for students to experience and learn from such as fish ponds, vegetable crops, fruit trees, honey bees, and chickens. All of these projects required planning to make sure they were placed in spaces that best suited each one.  Before any of these projects could even get started, we had to ensure that one crucial element was readily available and easily accessed.  That element was water.  

Aerial view of the land after seeding and while the well was being drilled.

A well had to be drilled on the land to ensure that plants, animals, and ponds had enough water to keep them alive and healthy.  On August 21 that well was dug and water was hit at a depth of 170 feet.  The company digging the well said that the well at OHS would be in the top 5% of all the wells they dug that year for depth, water volume, and water quality.  

Now that the well has been dug, we are waiting for plans regarding the construction of ponds.  Once we know where the ponds will be located, we will be able to locate the other projects on the land. This will allow us to start putting water lines in the ground to ensure that plants, trees, animals, and the ponds have the water that they need. 

Ginny Gaberlavage and Collin Adcock
OHS Agriscience teachers

An aerial video of the OHS campus and land will be added to the Facebook page.  If you would like to know exactly where this land is located on the OHS campus look for the Opelika High School Career Tech page to view the video.

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