Fruit and vegetable garden on Alfred University campus brought back to life
A fruit and vegetable garden on the south edge of the Alfred University campus is buzzing with activity, as students have been working since March to turn a weed-filled, overgrown lot into a place of vibrant growth and reflection.
The community garden was originally installed by students living in the former Environmental Studies House at 16 Park Street, 现在是空的. 情节, which had contained fruits and vegetables planted by students and members of the local community, had become overgrown in recent years.
今年春天, 自由的学员, a second-year graduate student in mental health counseling from Goshen, NY, 联系了艾米·戴凯, vice president for Student Experience, proposing the possibility of planting a community garden on campus. DeKay told them about the garden on Park Street and reached out to the Environmental Studies faculty and Buildings and Grounds to receive the permission to begin sprucing up the property.
“It was quite overgrown,” 自由 commented. Work to remove weeds and cut down tall grass, put down mulch and repair the beds, and erect protective fencing began in March, with fruit and vegetables planted later in the spring. “We’ve really made a lot of progress in three months,他们说, noting that the student 夏天 Gardening Club, 哪个有大约8个成员, worked with 自由 to bring the garden back to life.
总共, the garden contains 21 different beds, 蔬菜包括羽衣甘蓝, 菜花, 西兰花, 球芽甘蓝, 西红柿, 辣椒, 胡萝卜, 甜菜, 玉米, 豆子。, 土豆, 洋葱, and squash; fruits including pear trees (which will bear fruit next year), 哈密瓜, 西瓜, and strawberries; and medicinal herbs like tulsi holy basil. One bed contains garlic which had previously been planted by a member of the local community. Everything grown in the garden is organic.
The community garden—before and after. Photo at left, taken in April, shows the community garden overgrown and in disrepair. 右图, taken from overhead with a drone just five weeks later, 展示了一个整洁的花园, with vegetable and fruit beds rehabilitated and planted.
除了学生俱乐部, community members are welcome to participate in planting and maintaining the space. Much of the fruits and vegetables, 一次收获, will be donated to the Alfred University Food Pantry and 自由 hopes to use some of the yield for community meals prepared and served at the Community Table cooking and dining facility in Powell Campus Center.
自由, who interns at the University’s 健康 Center located across Park Street from the garden, hopes to create non-gardening programs at the site, such as sessions for meditation and counseling of students. “There are studies that show the benefits of working in a garden, getting your hands dirty. 这是eco-therapy. The counselors at the wellness center are excited about this type of programming.”
They thanked DeKay for her assistance in making the concept of a community garden a reality. “Amy DeKay has been a huge help in getting Student Experience funding,自由说, 注意到托马斯·奥兰治, 学生体验主任, helped out by running a power trimmer to cut down weeds. They added that 芭芭拉·弗里兰, 公共安全局局长, is experienced in organic gardening and has provided valuable insight and advice.
自由 and members of the 夏天 Gardening Club who remain on campus this summer will work to maintain the garden, 除草, harvesting fruits and vegetables as they become ripe, and bringing them to the Food Pantry. The group hopes to replace the wire fencing that encloses the garden with something that can better keep out animals scavenging for food.
They are pleased with how the garden has progressed and how it has improved the appearance of the property outside 16 Park.
“It’s so peaceful being here,自由说. “It’s super rewarding to see plants sprout from seeds; it’s beautiful and amazing to see life flourish here. 它真的美化了阿尔弗雷德. 路过的人都会评论它.”
There are plans to install some benches in the garden, “人们可以来坐的地方, 休息一下, 把自己磨碎,自由说。, 谁希望花园, with the help of the student club, will continue to be used next summer and beyond. “我们希望它能自我维持.”