Campus Grow offers cheap, healthy food options through community garden
Grow your own food and learn about gardening and healthy eating options this summer by becoming a member of Campus Grow.
The community garden, located behind the parking lot of Theunissen Stadium, features 70 10' by 10' plots available to rent. It also features a "Plant a Row for the Hungry" plot and a children's garden. There are 18 plots left for the 2017 gardening season, said coordinator Allison Kistler.
Renters can plant fruit, vegetables, flowers and herbs, as long as the seeds are organic. Renters must sign a Garden Guideline Agreement, pay a $10 rental fee and an additional $10 security deposit that is returned at the end of the season if the plot is cleaned.
"It's a cheap way to grow your own food. The only thing you have to pay for is the seeds," Kistler said. "I remember when I saw my first crops grow and I got to harvest squash and tomatoes that I grew myself. That was satisfying enough but then I was like, 'Wow, I didn't have to go to the grocery store.'"
Kistler organizes garden parties every Wednesday from 5-7 p.m. where renters can work on their plots and receive free seeds donated by local businesses.
Wednesdays are also when Kistler and community members clean up around the plots and set up fences to protect plants from animals.
For more information on the community garden and renting a plot, Kistler can be reached on Campus Grow's Facebook page or via email at campusgrow@gmail.com.
"My goal is to get more participation throughout the community," Kistler said. "I want to raise awareness on growing your own food and how sustainable it can be while growing partnerships with businesses and members of the community."
