Welcome back Wildcats! Spring semester is finally underway and you know what that means… rain, rain and more rain.

But this is not to deter you from enjoying the outside.

As a matter of fact, you should be outside, specifically in the Linfield Community Garden!

If you had no idea that this existed, do not be alarmed, but yes, our campus does in fact have its own little green paradise right next to Renshaw for those of us who have a green thumb, and more importantly, for those of us who don’t.

As I’m sure you could have guessed, springtime is the best time to be in the garden.

The garden is a student-operated project that began in the fall of 2009.

It is supported, by the Linfield Garden Club, and has since been a hotspot on campus for sustainable activity by providing healthy, local and organic food options to the Linfield Community.

For those who want to get involved in the rapidly spreading “Go Green” initiative, this is the perfect opportunity for you to, literally, get your hands dirty.

The progress in sustainable agriculture they have made since their initial takeoff is quite remarkable.

For those who don’t quite understand the concept of sustainable agriculture, it’s simply the way of producing food that is healthy for both those who consume it and the environment.

Key ideas in sustainable agriculture are organic, local, natural, etc.

It puts real emphasis on production practices that do not use pesticides, growth hormones and chemical fertilizers, things that are commonly seen in industrial agriculture today.

Our garden is also a great example of self-sufficiency because what could be better than being in control of the quality and quantity of the food you consume?

The produce options provided by the garden are extensive and for the 2014 season will include beans, cantaloupe, carrots, cilantro, corn, cucumbers, gourds, herbs, honeydew, lettuce, onions, peas, peppers, radishes, spinach, squash, strawberries, tomatoes, watermelon, zucchini and more!

Long term goals for the garden include operating a booth at the local Farmer’s Market and working with Sodexo to provide produce to Dillin Hall.

Don’t know anything about gardening? No problem!

The garden provides garden work parties about once every month.

The next one is March 8 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Visit the new and improved Sustainability website for links to the garden website and more information.

We hope to see you out in the garden in the coming weeks!

Marisa Specht / Office of Sustainability

The Office of Sustainability can be reached at [email protected]