Grant in Action: Kelp Tanks!

Written by Allison Flowerdew

If you enter the 7th grade wing at HMS, you will see that the students have turned into kelp farmers!  You won’t find them wearing waterproof bib overalls or wellies to keep their feet dry, but they are experts in kelp production, nonetheless. A couple of Mr. Cuthbert’s students explained the process of growing kelp in the tanks. Pay close attention, because this is very technical. They first cut out the light spots from the kelp, kept the dark spots, put it in water, then put those pieces in a tube with string and PRESTO, they’ve got kelp in a tank! Ok, I think they gave me the short version. My guess is it was a tad more involved, but that’s what I got! Either way, kelp is growing in the 7th grade wing and the students know exactly what they are doing, thanks to this hands-on learning experience inside the classroom.

This weekend, Mr. Cuthbert, Mr. Henninger, and a few Seniors will remove the kelp from the tanks and put them out on the longlines in Casco Bay. In April, they will harvest the kelp, which they expect to be about 3 meters long. What will they do with all that kelp, you ask? They are hoping to entice some local restaurants to have a “kelp cook-off” to see who can create the yummiest kelp dish. Be on the lookout, kelp could be on the menu at your favorite Yarmouth restaurant in the spring!