Bridgehampton School Reopens Farm Stand With Student-Led Agriculture Program

The Bridgehampton School has reopened the Sprouts farm stand on Montauk Highway to support a new agriculture curriculum. The small red structure sits next to school grounds and previously operated as a Christmas tree farm and flower stand. Now, the school uses the site to sell cut flowers and bouquets created by students.

The stand operates during school hours for a few hours a day, several days a week. Items are sold on a donation basis. Alexandra DeSouza, the school’s agriculture teacher, described the site as a living classroom. She began the role last year after taking over from Judiann Carmack-Fayyaz, who started the program before moving to run the Stony Brook Food Lab.

The program utilizes the district’s farm, greenhouse, and pollinator garden on the west side of the school. Christine Tylee, the school’s full-time horticulturist, manages daily operations in the greenhouse. The grounds also feature a coop with 10 hens and a rooster named Oscar, which parents built several years ago. Late-season tomatoes and herbs currently occupy the planting beds.

Students engage with the land at different levels based on their age. Younger learners focus on basic plant needs, seed planting, and food preferences. DeSouza noted that many students show curiosity about specific varieties of radishes and nasturtiums. Older students study soil sampling, rooting hormones, and native plant ecology. Fourteen high school students enrolled in the agriculture elective this year.

Harvests primarily supply the school’s cafeteria and culinary program. Produce not used in those programs is sold at the farm stand, particularly during summer months when classes are suspended. The school also maintains a pollinator garden developed with ReWild Long Island. Tylee reported seeing increased numbers of hummingbirds and new species of wasps in the area this year.

The school aims to expand student involvement during the summer harvesting season. DeSouza plans to build connections with local farms and allied tradespeople, including irrigation experts and heavy equipment operators. The goal is to expose students to various agricultural career paths. Tylee stated that the program remains open to community participation in any capacity.