Fruitful Season for Exeter's Organic Garden
September 5, 2008
2 young gardeners show off produce grown on campus
The second year of Exeter's organic garden has provided a boon, with well-tended, abundant crops. A group of Exeter faculty and staff have planted, weeded, picked and plucked all summer long, working together two afternoons a week.
40 crops are projected for the growing season, which is expected to end in October. They include everything from the humble (but delicious) bean to the elegant and spicy scape. All the favorites are there: tomatoes, corn, beans, raspberries, carrots, potatoes, zinnias and sunflowers.
The 25- by 50-foot garden was the brainchild of an Exeter senior, JY, who responded to a call for sustainability proposals. "The educational lessons about labor, sustainability and environmental awareness that come from hands-on experience would be priceless to students," he wrote.
Those important lessons will become clear this fall, by far the most productive in the garden's short 2-season history.
"The garden is a place where both students and adults of the PEA community can come together and learn about organic agriculture," says Jennifer Wilhelm, Exeter's sustainability coordinator. "It creates a place to relax while out in nature, and allows participants to enjoy fresh organic produce. I hope that more students and teachers will use the garden during the academic year. The farm and garden club will certainly be out there working and harvesting, as will Exeter's Environmental Action Committee and E-Proctors."
The garden is managed with a Community Supported Agriculture model. Garden tenders get shares of the produce from the garden, and learn about food production in the process. Many of the garden helpers bring their young children. "I like the concept of a community garden – sharing the work and the harvest!" says Margaret O'Day, Exeter's administrative director of health services and mother of 2 young girls. "I enjoy seeing friends and colleagues and cooking up the fruits of our labor. I also want my daughters to know where food comes from besides the refrigerator. They love to harvest. We're working on the 'work' aspect of gardening with a recent purchase of kid garden gloves and hoes!"
Wilhelm believes that the garden's biggest benefit "is in reminding us where our food comes from, that it takes work to put food on our plates, and that there are alternatives to large agribusiness produce."
During the school year, more than 100 Exeter students contribute to sustainability projects through three organizations: Environmental Action Committee, E-Proctors and Carbon Committee. Major projects include: the Green Cup Challenge (a 32-school competition designed to increase climate change awareness and decrease greenhouse gas emissions), Focus the Nation (a national, global warming campaign), the Green Flag Program (an environmental awards initiative targeting schools), recycling and composting.
Interested in learning more?
See a photo album of the garden...
Read about Exeter's sustainability initiatives…
See how organic gardens are entering the curriculum…
Check out the vermicomposting project at the Harris Family Children's Center…
Got a story idea? Tell the Lion!
