Old Rucker’s school deal would turn farm-box sales into college money

Produce grown at Old Rucker Farm could help pay for college under a proposed school partnership. Its scholarship provision would direct half the “proceeds” from AGaretta Box sales—produce and preserved foods made from the farm’s harvest—to Cambridge High School Agricultural Business students at the end of the academic year.⁠[1]

Alpharetta City Council is scheduled to consider the agreement with Fulton County Schools on Nov. 16. It would continue a partnership that staff says began in 2018 and was formalized in 2023, rather than launch a new farm program. The staff report lists an annual program budget of $1,680.⁠[1][2]

For Cambridge students, the draft calls for farm-based learning five days a week, totaling at least five hours weekly. A Fulton County Schools agribusiness teacher would oversee students at all times and provide the curriculum. If that teacher is unavailable, students would meet on campus; city staff would not take over teaching the class.⁠[1]

Alpharetta High’s culinary program would turn farm harvests into jam, salsa and pickled goods for the boxes, with the city supplying ingredients and jars. Innovation Academy’s opportunities could include tracking honeybee travel using RFID systems at the farm and on its campus—a possible activity, not a guaranteed course requirement.⁠[1]

There is also a practical date for participating school gardens: Dec. 1, 2026. The draft’s garden-support section covers 11 schools receiving plants and seeds in spring and fall. It lists that seedling-order deadline and says designated teachers would receive links to the online order forms.⁠[1]

The packet contains discrepancies that matter to how the program would work. The staff summary describes seven weekly farm hours, a city-created curriculum and scholarships funded by half of gross sales. The attached agreement instead specifies at least five hours, a school-created curriculum and half of “proceeds.” The packet does not reconcile those differences, including how the scholarship share would be calculated.⁠[1]

The proposed agreement would run from Nov. 16 through May 21, 2027; it is awaiting council consideration, not an approved deal. The Nov. 16 agenda lists the meeting for 6:30 p.m. in the council chambers at Alpharetta City Hall, 2 Park Plaza.⁠[1][2]