Student garden sprouts on Hope Street
Matthew Varley
Issue date: 7/16/07 Section: Features
Fresh, locally grown produce may soon be available on campus, thanks to a new student vegetable garden that is taking root at the corner of Hope Street and Young Orchard Avenue.
Just a few months ago, the site was a rocky, barren patch of silt - now, lush green rows of basil, eggplant and tomato plants are sprouting from rich black soil, protected by freshly-hewn wooden walls. Soon, carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, kale, beets and radishes will grow there as well.
The Brown Sustainable Food Initiative, a student group devoted to promoting local agriculture, is largely responsible for developing the garden.
During the academic year, David Schwartz '09, Ben Mandelkern '09, Zach Stone '09 and Michael Glassman '09 planned the project on paper. Mandelkern, Stone and Glassman received an Undergraduate Teaching and Research Award to put their plans into action this summer.
The work was not easy - the founders labored for over a month before planting their first seedlings in early July. Schwartz said the entire site was contaminated with lead when they first examined it, requiring them to spread a foot of topsoil over the earth. The students spent weeks removing debris, constructing a retaining wall and re-grading the 2,700 square foot garden with the help of Facilities Management. "We've been helped really invaluably by Facilities," which contributed "a lot of time, tools and resources" to the garden, Stone said.
He said the garden would have an "educational aspect" and also serve as a "community-building tool." He said he hopes Brown students will benefit from working at the site, cooking and enjoying local food and "appreciating the difference between the food that comes from here and the food that you would get out of Stop and Shop."
Stone said other Brown students have considered starting a vegetable garden in the past but have failed due to the difficulty of finding sufficient space close to campus. But Stone and Mandelkern persisted, going all the way to the top for assistance.
Just a few months ago, the site was a rocky, barren patch of silt - now, lush green rows of basil, eggplant and tomato plants are sprouting from rich black soil, protected by freshly-hewn wooden walls. Soon, carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, kale, beets and radishes will grow there as well.
The Brown Sustainable Food Initiative, a student group devoted to promoting local agriculture, is largely responsible for developing the garden.
During the academic year, David Schwartz '09, Ben Mandelkern '09, Zach Stone '09 and Michael Glassman '09 planned the project on paper. Mandelkern, Stone and Glassman received an Undergraduate Teaching and Research Award to put their plans into action this summer.
The work was not easy - the founders labored for over a month before planting their first seedlings in early July. Schwartz said the entire site was contaminated with lead when they first examined it, requiring them to spread a foot of topsoil over the earth. The students spent weeks removing debris, constructing a retaining wall and re-grading the 2,700 square foot garden with the help of Facilities Management. "We've been helped really invaluably by Facilities," which contributed "a lot of time, tools and resources" to the garden, Stone said.
He said the garden would have an "educational aspect" and also serve as a "community-building tool." He said he hopes Brown students will benefit from working at the site, cooking and enjoying local food and "appreciating the difference between the food that comes from here and the food that you would get out of Stop and Shop."
Stone said other Brown students have considered starting a vegetable garden in the past but have failed due to the difficulty of finding sufficient space close to campus. But Stone and Mandelkern persisted, going all the way to the top for assistance.