2008 Woodie Awards
Group works to make campus organic garden possible
Erika Schnitzer
Issue date: 1/31/08 Section: News
Last fall, a small group of Union students, faculty, staff and friends began discussing the development of an organic farm on campus. The farm would have a dual purpose: to make the College more sustainable and to donate produce to the local food pantry.
While the project is still in the planning process, Dining Services has provided a start-up grant for the garden. Facilities has granted the group permission to plant on an approximately three-quarters acre lot south of College Park Hall and the soccer fields along North Jay Street. Additionally, Facilities has offered to help transport soil and compost to the garden site.
"We felt that the garden project was a good way to promote sustainability and healthy eating on the campus," explained Director of Dining Services Dan Detora.
"I think a garden is a wonderful idea…to supply Ozone Café and the food panty with food," asserted Landscape Specialist Connie Schmitz, who has helped to coordinate efforts between the group and Facilities.
In March, members of the campus community will begin propagating plants in the College's greenhouse. The hope is that by May the seedlings will be ready for transfer to the designated plot.
"By fall, we should be reaping the benefits," Schmitz stated. "We envision it being small this year and next year, [but] hopefully it will increase in size each year after…The ultimate goal is to donate half to the pantry and keep half for Union."
The idea for the garden originated when Jenny Lippmann, a Union professor's wife whose own alma mater-Dartmouth College-had a similar farm, sent fliers to the campus last fall asking if anyone would be interested in the project, and a group-now known as Octopus's Garden-formed as a result. The basis of the group is to raise awareness of sustainability concerns on campus.
"My college had a great [farm] and I thought it would be great for Union to have one as well," Lippmann explained as her motivation for the idea of an organic garden at Union. "It's a great learning opportunity [and a way] to rethink the agricultural system."
While the project is still in the planning process, Dining Services has provided a start-up grant for the garden. Facilities has granted the group permission to plant on an approximately three-quarters acre lot south of College Park Hall and the soccer fields along North Jay Street. Additionally, Facilities has offered to help transport soil and compost to the garden site.
"We felt that the garden project was a good way to promote sustainability and healthy eating on the campus," explained Director of Dining Services Dan Detora.
"I think a garden is a wonderful idea…to supply Ozone Café and the food panty with food," asserted Landscape Specialist Connie Schmitz, who has helped to coordinate efforts between the group and Facilities.
In March, members of the campus community will begin propagating plants in the College's greenhouse. The hope is that by May the seedlings will be ready for transfer to the designated plot.
"By fall, we should be reaping the benefits," Schmitz stated. "We envision it being small this year and next year, [but] hopefully it will increase in size each year after…The ultimate goal is to donate half to the pantry and keep half for Union."
The idea for the garden originated when Jenny Lippmann, a Union professor's wife whose own alma mater-Dartmouth College-had a similar farm, sent fliers to the campus last fall asking if anyone would be interested in the project, and a group-now known as Octopus's Garden-formed as a result. The basis of the group is to raise awareness of sustainability concerns on campus.
"My college had a great [farm] and I thought it would be great for Union to have one as well," Lippmann explained as her motivation for the idea of an organic garden at Union. "It's a great learning opportunity [and a way] to rethink the agricultural system."
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