Life University celebrates planting on new community garden

September 15, 2016 – Life University debuted its community garden on September 14 with an inaugural planting and ribbon cutting, along with refreshments and words from leadership.

“A community garden will provide the opportunity for all Life University students to experience the cycles of nature, the patience involved in sowing and reaping, and the fulfillment of working together with community toward a common goal,” said Denise Pickett-Bernard, PhD, assistant dean of the department of nutrition. “This experiential learning will bring alive on campus the cycle of ‘farm to fork.’”

The Nutrition Department at Life University is the primary caretaker of the garden, but volunteers from across the Life University community will participate in its care and success.

Presently, the garden features six raised beds, with the potential to add more. At the ribbon cutting, primarily salad greens were sowed, including arugula, braising greens, pak choi, Allstar Lettuce Mix and green crisp, as well as onions, carrots, radishes and beets. Produce was selected for the widest acceptance amongst students, as it will source organic vegetables to Socrates Café, Life University’s state of- the-art campus cafeteria. Socrates Café is a 28,000 square foot facility, serving locally and organically grown food when possible.

The community garden will not only serve the café’s mission of serving organic food, but Life University’s overall vitalistic culture of health and wellness.

Source: Life University