Carr-den Garden

This morning, we braved the rain to visit a garden on Allegheny College's campus.  This garden, located out of Carr Hall and called the Carr-den, grows vegetables, fruits, and herbs that make their way to the dining halls.

First, we were inside Carr Hall for a quick lesson on why they grow their own food and the plants themselves.  We learned about the plant families and companion planting.  It was pretty surprising to learn that broccoli and kale are in the same family!  We also tried to identify seeds with limited success - we were able to identify the peppers and peas, but the lettuce and broccoli were much more difficult.

Then we went outside.  We were able to see the entire garden of fruit, vegetables, and herbs.  The garden is located on a hill, so they use raised beds to decrease the water runoff.  After all, all of the water makes its way into French Creek.  Everything grown in the garden is organic.  A special compost is created on campus, creating a unique cycle.  The produce from the garden is taken to the dining halls.  Then the excess is thrown into the compost bins around the halls and added to the compost, which is put on the soil to help the plants grow.