Jennifer WinfieldChapman University students are having fun while being sustainable with a community garden, located on-campus.
McKenna Rivers ‘23 is a food science major with a green thumb and a curious mind for harvesting. “I share a plot in the garden with a couple of other food science students. We’re growing radishes, beets and a variety of flowers,” she said.
Rivers expressed that she’s always had a green thumb, saying, “The reason why I got involved in the community garden is because I’ve been a gardener for my entire life. During my undergrad degree, my thesis was about working toward food stability, through the development of eco-conscious campuses by creating community gardens.”
Students are able to sign up for a garden bed at the start of each semester, and renew their plot reservation as many times as they’d like. The Office of Sustainability manages garden bed reservations, which are on a first-come, first-served basis. Rivers has had her plot for almost a year, and plans to keep it until she graduates.
Through tending to her garden bed with friends, Rivers learned a lot about how food is grown. “I’ve always focused on plants that are easier to grow. My friend Grant, who introduced me to the community garden, taught me about which vegetables grow best in our climate and how to harvest them. It’s been really helpful,” she shared.
While sustainability and food access are important to Rivers and the Chapman community, gardening comes with other benefits that aren’t often talked about; such as mental health. Sharing this garden bed with a group of like-minded peers had a positive impact on Rivers’ overall experience at Chapman. “It’s my getaway and a great way to decompress,” she said.
Chapman’s community garden seems to be a hidden gem, as much of the community doesn’t know it exists, or know that it’s open. “It’s kind of hard to find if you don’t know about it,” Rivers said. “We’re trying to spread the awareness, especially within our program, that we do have a sustainable garden that is open for students to get food from.”
To get involved and reserve a garden bed, you can contact the Office of Sustainability by phone or email. You can also check Instagram for updates at the start of each semester.
Don’t know where to start with your garden? Rivers encourages students to “visit the garden, ask questions and do your research,” and you’ll be just fine.
