The Sustainability House

History

In the Spring of 2008, students in the 2008-09 Sustainability House initiated the creation of raised beds near their buildings. The project was seeded in their heads at their first building-wide potluck at the beginning of the year. Many residents liked the idea of growing food over the winter to harvest by springtime.

Three raised garden beds now inhabit a plot of land originally containing only grass. One, intended for perennial species (such as rhubarb, asparagus, strawberries, and the like) is bordered by a stone wall.  This raised bed was built by a Sustainability Intern with donated materials in the summer of 2008. The second, created for more traditional annual crops in the summer of 2008, has a wooden border created from scrap wood reclaimed from other parts of campus and filled with compost donated by campus.  The third raised bed was built by RAD Sustainability Coordinator during the summer of 2009 with remaining stones donated from campus and is designated for annual crops and is filled with composted llama manuer acquired by the 07-08 Sustainability House residents.

Students use bamboo to create frost protection for their kale plants.

The kitchen gardens were nurtured by 2008-09 residents, who benefitted from an annual bed full of a self-seeded Kale crop.

In October 08, a group designed and built a row cover out of bamboo from the Farm to help protect their kale plants from the frost.

In the spring volunteers planted greens, oriental greens, peas, squash, onions and some garlic in the first and second raised beds.

During the summer of 09 the RAD Sustainability Coordinator planted some greens, root crops and kohlrabi to get the garden ready for incoming residents. 

TStudents planted garlic in September to be harvested in Julyhe 2009-10 school year has just begun and so far residents have expressed a great interest in getting involved with their garden.  Many students came out for the garlic planting workshop during Orientation Week. 

Students have planted some fall crops including greens, kohlrabi, garlic, and collards, and are planning their visions for the gardens for the upcoming year. Current ideas include building a cold-frame, and constructing another raised bed to add to expand the available space for crops.