Community garden takes root at Kalamazoo College

In the backyard of a Kalamazoo College-owned house on Academy Street a community garden is growing.

It represents the coming together of three campus events.

Kenneth Mulder, a K-College alumnus, came to campus to speak about social justice and community gardens. He is Farm Manager and Adjunct Assistant Professor for Environmental Studies at Green Mountain College in Vermont.

Shea Howell, professor of communications at Wayne State University, visited to talk about social justice.

Jeanne Hess, professor of physical education, had put together a class: "Gardening for Fitness." It filled immediately.

Energized by the speakers and discussions fostered by outreach and debate on the new Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership on campus, staff members with interests in gardening, food, and justice started meeting together and momentum for the project took them from winter planning stages into spring planting.

Now, the college garden has been dug and planted by students in Jeanne Hess' physical education class, and those who simply want to be involved. Staff and alumni also were involved. Hess, professor of physical education, applied for and received a small grant from ACSJL, so the project is now equipped. In the fall, another physical class may harvest the vegetables and ready the garden ready for the following spring.

The harvest will go to students, through Sodexo, the college food service, and members of the greater Kalamazoo community, through distribution by a local food bank.

The backyard where the garden grown is fairly small, lacks visibility, and may prove too shady. It is anticipated it could be moved in the future if a better, permanent home is found.

School gardeners see a time when community gardening could grow to include science, art, business, philosophy, sociology, psychology, education and environmental sciences.  

Writer: Kathy Jennings
Source: Jane Hoinville, Kalamazoo College