For months, students in the Greenhouse Management class at Manheim Central High School have been hard at work. Now you can enjoy the fruits of their labor - or more accurately, the flowers and vegetables - when the class hosts its annual plant sale.

The sale will be held at the high school greenhouse, located across from the Manheim Community Farm Show building, 400 E. Adele Ave., Manheim, from 1 to 6 p.m. on Fridays, May 2 and 9, as well as from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays, May 3 and 10.

"The plant sale is an annual event at the high school where the students in the Greenhouse Management course plan, plant, grow and maintain a variety of different plants," said Weston Longenecker, a senior in the class. "We grow flowers, tomatoes, peppers, other vegetables and herbs. Every aspect is completed by students, and the class is entirely hands-on for the whole semester."

The course is taught by Seth Kensinger, who initiated a collaboration last year to bring students in the high school's life skills class into the greenhouse to work alongside Kensinger's students.

"Working with the life skills students is a great way to connect with them," Weston said. "Once a week every week, they come down to the greenhouse to help us plant. It is great seeing their faces light up as they walk into the greenhouse."

Like many of the students in Kensinger's class, Weston enrolled in the course to gain hands-on experience with plants.

"I took this class because it is a great opportunity to learn and get some firsthand experience on how a greenhouse works," he said, noting that his classmates all have different roles, ranging from planting seeds to watering. "It helps us understand greenhouses and how they are a key part in growing food."

Kensinger covers topics such as planting, marketing and selling plants; basic industry terminology; and pest management practices. Then the students get to work growing a wide variety of items.

"We are growing 59 different types of tomatoes," Weston shared. "There are beefsteak tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, sauce tomatoes and a lot more. For peppers, there are 31 different types ranging from the sweet bell pepper to the extremely spicy habanero. There are 15 different types of veggies like squashes, broccoli and zucchini. We have 12 types of herbs and 10 types of flowers."

Proceeds from the plant sale will support future class projects and cover the expenses associated with operating the greenhouse.

And while patrons of the sale can pick up future food for their home gardens, they can also enjoy a snack on-site while shopping.

"Come to the sale because our plants were grown locally," Weston said, "and there is also a hot dog stand in case you get hungry."

Both cash and credit cards will be accepted at the plant sale. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/42Uqz0e or search for "Manheim Central High School Greenhouse" on Facebook.