Louisiana State University
ER-T2-2: Organic Garden

The School of Plant, Environmental & Soil Sciences teaches hands-on service-learning classes in the fall semesters at LSU Horticulture Hill Farm Teaching Facility. These classes include service projects directed to community food issues. (1) The organic gardening class participates in service projects with various community partners, such as the implementation and maintenance of school gardens and community gardens. (2) The vegetable crops class had a service-learning project with the community partner, St. Vincent DePaul, and their community kitchen. The students developed a vegetable crop production schedule and implemented a plan to provide fresh, nutritious vegetables to the kitchen on a weekly basis. Vegetables were grown in the field, as well as a high tunnel (primitive greenhouse) in field plots at the on-campus teaching facility. Students harvested and delivered the produce to the kitchen. The vegetable crops students also served cooked product to the clientele of the kitchen. The garden is intended to demonstrate to LSU students the viability of organic gardening practices in Louisiana, which is an issue still debated in some circles. Instructed by Dr. Carl Motsenbocker, a group of student interns prepare the area using methods and products that are approved of by the USDA for organic production and handling of crops. Weeding by hand and mulching will replace the use of synthetic herbicides, and good nutrition for the plants will reduce problems with pests. Student interns plant the crops and care for the garden while waiting to harvest. Sanitary harvesting practices will be heavily stressed in order to keep the food safe to eat for students.

Hiillfarm Community Garden, http://www.hfcgarden.lsu.edu/