Tag Archives: Derek Smith

Saturday Mornin’ Gardening

Hey everybody,

We got a LOT of work done today.  All the fence posts are in, we cut them to be about even height (~7 foot), and hung wire around the top.

We had a lot of enthusiatic help from students, faculty and staff including John Wilson, Cliff Reiter, Annette Diorio, Art Kney and his daughter Elise, LEAP/SEES students: Scott Stinner, Britta Moore, Tom Golazewski, Paul Creme, and Laura Bochner (and it was her 21st birthday!!)

We’ve still gotta: put up the fencing with fence staples and attach it to the wire at the top with zip ties.  I think we’re planning on working on Friday morning to finish it up.  Let me know if you can come!!

Thanks to everyone for coming out and helping today!!

And THANK YOU to Derek Smith for the yummy snacks..fruit and cookies from the farmers market! 🙂

Jenn

Project Update! Good News All Around.

Hey everyone!

Most of the seeds have officially arrived!  I picked them up just in time for the LEAP meeting on Wednesday.  We’re still waiting on a few packets, but they’re here for the most part.  Also, apparently the field has been plowed as of Monday afternoon: so we’ll be putting in the fence posts and planting very soon!!

Prof. Brandes is going to Metzgar tomorrow morning (Sat.) with some students to survey.  And Prof. Derek Smith has been working with Dining Services and the campus legal staff to work out serving the veggies in the dining halls.

Things are a happenin’! 😀
If you’d like to help out with planting/fence posting let me know and I can add you to the garden club email list!

Jenn

VAST 221: Technology at the Table

Some exciting news!

Annette Diorio, associate dean of students and Director of Residential Life is teaching a VAST course #221 Technology at the Table and will be incorporating the garden project into the curriculum. One of the large projects during the semester will be for the students to divide into groups and create a design for the large 1-acre plot that students will be tending. They will be deciding what to plant, where to plant it, and when. After completing their designs, Professors Brandes, A. Smith, D. Smith, and Wilson will be judging the designs and choose the best one (or pieces of them) to implement in the garden.

Tonight I made a quick presentation to the class about the project. I’m very excited to be working with them! =)

Jenn

A New Website!

Hello everyone!

Welcome to the Organic Gardening website.  I’m glad you’re interested in learning about the garden project or getting involved or even getting a plot!  I’ll give a brief introduction to the project here, but for more details check out the “About the Project” section of the site.

The idea for the project came up while working on the Corn on the Quad project this past summer.  Professor Dave Brandes,  Prof. Art Kney, Prof. Andy Smith and I were working in the fields, er..the quad and thought it would be great to continue the project further and more permanently.  Professor Dave Brandes and I wrote a grant proposal to the Clinton Foundation and won a small grant to support the project.

The next semester, Prof. Brandes, Andy Smith, Derek Smith, John Wilson and I worked together with the school administration and plant operations to plan the gardens. It will consist of two sections: a 1-acre plot for students to tend and another 1-acre plot divided into small plots for faculty, staff, and administration to lease.  We’ll begin planting this March!

This website is going to be a tool for keeping people informed about the project.  I’ll be documenting the progress of the garden through pictures and blogs.  I’m hoping to keep the “Meet the Gardener” updated where I’ll put pictures and bios of those involved.

Thanks so much for your interest and support!  🙂

Jenn