Rae Harrison, director of environmental programming at Butler Catholic, left, reaches into a plant growing in the school's tower garden. Submitted photo

Butler Catholic School can grow produce year-round thanks to the installation of a tower garden, which is now sprouting a lettuce mix.

The Butler Garden Club donated money to the school to be able to buy the tower garden in the fall. Rae Harrison, director of environmental programming at Butler Catholic, helped the students plant seeds in the tower Dec. 3, and they were later able to eat the growths right from the tower.

A Jan. 29 news release from Butler Catholic said the tower harnesses the power of aeroponic growing methods, and water and nutrients are pumped through the standing plastic tower to nurture plants established in various growing holes. Growth lights are connected to a timer, ensuring plants have enough energy to develop even in the winter.

In the coming weeks, students will continue using the tower garden and learning new ways to plant, grow, and harvest their own food — both inside and outside the classroom.

“The kids loved it,” Harrison said. “They said it was sweet, not bitter.”