April 06, 2012
Olivet students have been working diligently in a field near the Redwood Auditorium in preparation for a Vegetable Garden that will soon be planted there.
The team of volunteers, which meets every Saturday, actively participates in much of the gardening work on campus.
The latest project, which has been worked on by the student volunteers and members of Teen Challenge, was inspired by the team’s mentor, Ward Hastings, a volunteer with YES!, Young Enough to Serve.
“All the work on the Veggie Garden so far has been done by Teen Challenge and 10-12 Olivet students,” reported Hastings, who has spent 30 years as a licensed landscape contractor in the Santa Cruz County and about eight years as a volunteer on campus.
“Our Veggie Garden is almost ready for planting,” he added.
According to Hastings, the Veggie Garden will have room for up to 100 8’x10’ plots for growing vegetables. Signups are currently underway for any students, staff or families on campus who want to reserve a plot of the field for themselves. Assistance and information will be provided by the Olivet landscape team.
“Any Olivet students, staff, or faculty who wish to have a summer Vegetable Gardenspot for planting in about one month need to sign up now,” stressed Hastings.
Previously, the field where the Vegetable Garden will be was used to store rubbish and had over time become a wasteland. Student volunteers have since moved out of all the dead branches and planted carts of flowers there.
According to Hastings, the garden will be automatically drip irrigated for each grower and a fence will be set up to keep critters out. Olivet University will be providing the seeds.
Hastings expects planting of the Veggie Garden to begin in about a month.
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